The regional capital of the Northern Region, Tamale, on 12th March, 2020 hosted the sixth in the series of Exporters’ Forums organised by the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) to build the capacity of exporters across the country.
The forum, which was held under the theme, “Overcoming Trade Barriers to Enhance Exports in the Northern Sector, the Role of Stakeholders” comes after previous ones organised by the GSA for exporters in Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, Somanya and Bolgatanga.
Scores of exporters of shea-nuts, shea butter, mango, yam, agrochemicals, seedlings, leather works and smocks participated in the one-day event.
Officials from the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ghana Police Service gave a presentation on “Export Procedures for Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) and other Related Products” and “Road Governance, Transport and Trade Facilitation” respectively.
The exporters were also sensitised on the National Export Strategy and its relevance to their businesses by an official of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).Representatives from the Ghana Standards Authority, Narcotic Control Board (NACOB), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) and the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) also took the exporters through their respective roles in the promotion of Ghana’s exports.
The forum provided an opportunity for the exporters to raise their challenges in the export value chain with the various state agencies while their representatives took turns to provide redress.
In a welcome address, the Chief Executive officer (CEO) of the GSA, Ms. Benonita Bismarck said the nation’s over-reliance on the export of raw materials, lack of value addition to raw materials and the apparent neglect or low levels of export of NTEs are caused by challenges facing exporters which must be addressed by the concerted efforts of all stakeholders.
She said the development of the new National Export Strategy which is spearheaded by GEPA is expected to draw viable strategies to fall within the context of the National Industrial Transformation Agenda.
These were said on her behalf by Mr. Emmanuel Kwarteng, the Kumasi Branch Manager of the GSA
