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GEXIM partners Foreign Affairs Ministry to champion Ghana’s industrialization agenda
The Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) is deepening its collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to champion the Government of Ghana’s industrialization agenda by promoting and creating market access for Made-In-Ghana products and services globally.
On Wednesday October 23, 2024, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEXIM, responsible for Banking, Ms. Rosemary Beryl Archer, led a team from the Bank to present assorted Made-In-Ghana products of their clients and other Ghanaian entrepreneurs to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Deputy Minister of Foreign of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration in charge of Political and Economic matters and Member of Parliament for Asante Mampong, welcomed the GEXIM team to the ministry and received the items on behalf of the Minster.
The presentation follows a similar one by the Bank in March 2022 on the occasion of Ghana’s 65th independence anniversary celebration.
The Bank presented Made-In-Ghana products which were distributed to selected Ghanaian missions abroad for promotion and to explore avenues for improved packaging and state of the art equipment to support Ghana’s industrialization agenda.
The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEXIM highlighted the importance of Ghanaian missions around the world and their pivotal role in assisting to increase Ghanaian exports globally, promoting trade and commerce as well as attracting investment for Ghanaian businesses and their products.
“It is important to deepen our existing cordial relations and we are here today to present these uniquely packaged and innovative Made-In-Ghana products to be sent to the Ghanaian missions. We believe a strategic collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has a potential to unlock unending opportunities for Ghanaian businesses and lead to economic growth,” she emphasized.
She added that “We are happy to work with the Ministry to replicate around the world various forms of our GEXIM MIG Town, a one stop shop for everything Made-In-Ghana products.”
On his part, Ampratwum-Sarpong expressed his delight about the innovation employed by the Ghanaian entrepreneurs in packaging their products to meet international standards. He further lauded GEXIM for investing in Ghanaian businesses and its campaign in driving awareness for the patronage of Made-In-Ghana products globally which he indicated will be of economic benefit to the country.
“It feels good to see these products and more importantly, knowing these are produced in Ghana, it brings me a lot of joy. It is such an important time to be driving such a campaign to help sustain local businesses and be able to trade favorably in the international marketplace. We believe economic diplomacy is very key for our country at the moment and we urge all key stakeholders to help with this agenda to achieve an industrialized Ghana,” he added.
Some of the very unique, and authentic Made-In-Ghana products presented to the Ministry include food and ingredients, beverages, skin and beauty care products, textiles, apparel, garments, leather footwear, slippers, and many others.
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News
GFP founder Akua Donkor passes on
Akua Donkor
The founder and leader of the Ghana Freedom Party (GFP), Madam Akua Donkor, has passed away.
She died at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital on Monday, October 28 at 72.
Reports gathered by The Spectator indicated that she was diagnosed with respiratory issues at the Nsawam Government Hospital and was referred to the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where she died.
Known for her spirited presence in Ghanaian politics, Akua Donkor was a staunch advocate for the rights of farmers and women.
Her bold and outspoken demeanour enabled her to capture public attention and significantly impact the grassroots communities she aimed to represent.
Throughout her political journey, she distinguished herself by running for the presidency multiple ti mes, demonstrating remarkable resilience despite financial challenges.
Akua Donkor was listed as the third candidate on the ballot for the upcoming 2024 presidential election.
Her political career began with her election as the Assemblywoman for Herman in the Ashanti region, and she made her first bid for the presidency in 2012 as an independent candidate.
She was, however, disqualified by the Electoral Commission in 2012 and 2016 for the reason that she did not meet the eligibility requirements.
News
Stop using breast enhancing creams …they expose females to breast cancer
Mrs Enyonam Abiti making a presentation
Women have been cautioned to stop using of breast enhancing creams which is said to contain estrogen, predisposing them to the breast cancer disease.
Using such creams over time increases estrogen levels in patrons of such products thereby exposing them to the disease.
Estrogen is a type of sex hormone responsible for development and regulation of female reproductive system and secondary sex chart.
Mrs Enyonam Abiti, a medical officer at Madina Pentecost Hospital, said this at a day’s seminar and breast cancer awareness creation day at Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The programme, organised by the Bono Regional office of COCOBOD, forms part of activities to mark this year’s World Breast Cancer Day celebrations held every year in October.
Some staff of COCOBOD and women in cocoa farming used the opportunity to have their breast screened.
Mrs Abiti during a presentation revealed that one in every eight women was diagnosed of breast cancer while 1 from 1,000 men contract the disease.
She noted that early detection and regular screening was the surest way to salvage the situation.
She mentioned that habits such as excessive smoking and alcohol intake predisposes women to breast cancer.
Moreover, she added that people advanced in age, past history, past ovarian cancer case as well as young girls that menstruate early, among others stands the risk of contracting the disease.
The Bono Regional Administrator of COCOBOD, Michael Paddy Kwesi Asumanu, stated that the decision to organise the breast screening was to ensure that women in cocoa farming were healthy at all times to go about their farming activities in order to increase productivity.
“We don’t want a situation where our women in cocoa farming are infected with breast cancer disease to jeopardise the cocoa sector,” he said.
According him, the Regional Office of COCOBOD in partnership with the Bono Regional Teaching hospital would organised screening for about 4,000 women on October 31, 2024 at Goaso in the Ahafo Region.
The move, he said, was part of their corporate social responsibility towards women as the world mark breast cancer awareness creation this month.
Some of the women who spoke to The Spectator commended COCOBOD for the gesture and called on other institutions of state to emulate the example.
The organisers later held a float on the principal streets of Sunyani to create awareness on the breast cancer disease.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Sunyani
