Ghana Export Promotion Authority launches digital market hub
The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has launched a national digital market hub designed to provide up to date trade information for exporters and investors.
The market hub is to help guide producers and exporters to do business with accredited and registered companies licensed to engage in exports and to enhance the competitiveness of Ghanaian export enterprises.
The support for the project is facilitated by the Trade Capacity Building (TCB) Programme for Ghana, being implemented by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) with support from the Swiss Government through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, urged Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the many opportunities in cross border trade.
He said the Market Hub would help by making it easier for exporters to operate.
Mr Ahomka-Lindsay challenged GEPA to ensure that the portal was always functional and easy to understand so people do not stop visiting it for information.
Ms Gifty Klenam, Chief Executive Officer, said GEPA was set to deliver results from exports to the country through total transformation of its mode of operation, moving it into a world class trade promotion agency.
“By this GEPA aims to consistently invest in its people and the latest technology to stay ahead. The launch of our new robust and interactive website is yet another step in our journey towards transformation and growth,” she said.
Ms Klenam said the launch of the market hub was a signal to the world that Ghana was open and ready to do business with the rest of the world.
UNIDO Project Manager, Mr. Juan Pablo Davila, said the support from the UNIDO –TCB project to GEPA was to enable exporters, public and private sector including marketing organisations, to make insight-driven decisions and take actions based on opportunities in targeted markets.
“We are delighted that a national digital market hub in a form of trade information portal at the GEPA will allow marketers and exporters to fully identify customer’s quality requirements, identify where to find market data and information on export through a website,” Mr. Davila said.
SECO Deputy Head of Economic Development Cooperation, Mr. Daniel Lauchenauer said Switzerland government was committed to supporting government in the effort of diversifying the economy, job creation; improve trade and the investment value addition in the country.
“We are happy that Switzerland’s support to strengthening capacities in the export value-chains through UNIDO’s Trade Capacity Building Programme is positively reflecting in Ghana’s export operations,” he said.
He congratulated the GEPA team for collaborating with UNIDO to develop the digital market hub to enhance the competitiveness of Ghanaian export enterprises.
As part of the support, UNIDO organised training and coaching on the job for the team at the GEPA and also supported the designing of the new digital hub.
The TCB Programme aims at ensuring that goods and services emanating from or traded in Ghana are designed, manufactured and supplied in a sustainable manner that conforms to market requirements as well as those of the regulatory authorities in the local and in the export markets.
The Project is focused on four main value chains – cocoa, fish, fruits and wood.
GEPA is the National Export Trade Support Institution of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) responsible for the facilitation, development and promotion of Ghanaian exports.
Source: GNA