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Brand J’KARTA excites patrons at Frankfurt ‘Ambiente 2023
• Ms Okbell Majdoub (left) speaking to a client at the fair
About 19 Ghanaian businesses joined over 4,460 exhibitors from 92 nations at one of the biggest trade and exhibition fairs dubbed “Ambiente 2023” which ended recently in Frankfurt, Germany.
The fair which took off on February 3 to February 7, 2023, showcased the latest range of related consumer goods such as lighting, gifts and souvenirs, household items, arts and crafts, jewellery, watches, tableware, among others.
It sought, among other things, to reflect the dynamic nature of the consumer goods industry and enable participants appreciate factors shaping the future of the industry, such as the shift towards sustainability. The show was interspersed with presentations, competitions and award ceremonies.
J’KARTA, an emerging handicraft business in Ghana, which produces sustainable fashion apparel and accessories from jute, featured prominently at the fair and attracted positive reviews for its range of products.
Ms Okbell Majdoub is the Chief Executive Officer of the company which is transforming locally-sourced jute bags into fashionable products.
Speaking to The Spectator after the fair, she said the inspiring response from patrons was a “solid backing” to the existing reputation and admiration brand J’KARTA had gained over the years.
Commending the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) for the recognition, she said the fair presented “a great opportunity” for her company to meet international standards as it continued to meet the demands of clients locally.
She said J’KARTA remained committed to the concept of “sustainable fashion”, where “clothing is designed and manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner.”
“Our bags and shoes caught the interest of international consumers. They liked the attention to finishing details and the idea that every piece was handmade.
“As the company continues to grow, we would do more in helping build skills in the youth and emphasise the essence of sustainability in the fashion industry,” she added.
Ms. Majdoub noted that emerging business like J’KARTA would need financial support in order to purchase more sophisticated machinery to increase productivity and ensure “the development of enhanced finished products.”
She, therefore, urged the government to support and rebuild defunct jute factories in the country to ease the burden on businesses which relied on the raw material for other finished products.
J’KARTA has so far left its footprints in Ivory Coast, Liberia, the United Kingdom (UK) and looks forward to producing exquisite fashionable products and promoting the Made-in-Ghana brand in 2023 and beyond.
By Ernest Nutsugah
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GEXIM deepens relations with US EXIM Bank
A management team of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) led by the Acting Chief Executive, Sylvester Mensah met with the leadership of the Export–Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM) on Wednesday April 23, 2025 in Washington DC, United States of America.
The Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM, Mr. James C. Cruse and Vice President, International Relations, Ms. Isabel Galdiz received the GEXIM delegation, which included Deputy CEO for Banking, Mr. Moses Klu Mensah and Head of International Cooperation, Mr. Jonathan Christopher Koney at the headquarters of US EXIM.
The meeting offered the GEXIM team the opportunity to share the strategic direction of the Bank in line with the resetting agenda of the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama for the repositioning of the Ghanaian economy into an export-led one by providing the requisite investment to Ghanaian businesses.
Mr. James C. Cruse expressed US EXIM’s eagerness to deepen its existing relations with GEXIM and proposed the signing of a new Cooperative Framework Agreement following the expiration of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2019 to utilize US EXIM’s medium term loan guarantees to procure machinery by GEXIM for qualified Ghanaian Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Mr.Sylvester Mensah thanked the Acting President and Chairman of US EXIM for hosting the GEXIM delegation and reaffirmed the Ghanaian government’s commitment to strengthening trade and investment between Ghana and its global partners for economic transformation of Ghana with GEXIM playing a pivotal role.
The two teams will be meeting on the sidelines of the 2025 US EXIM Annual Conference on 29th and April 30, 2025 to explore possible areas of collaboration and matching Ghanaian businesses to American companies. The meeting ended with an exchange of gifts.
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Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation –Pres.Mahama
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed concern over the misuse of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) for personal financial gain by individuals in leadership positions.
Speaking during a meeting with Chief Executives of specified entities under the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA) on Thursday, March 13, the President directly attributed the dire state of SOEs to their leadership, accusing chief executives, management teams, and governing boards of prioritising personal enrichment over organisational efficiency.
He pointed to bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures as factors draining public funds while SOEs continue to rely on government bailouts.
“Many SOEs have been used as mere instruments for personal wealth accumulation by appointees. The chief executives, management, and boards of these enterprises are responsible for this situation. Some SOEs have become perennial loss-makers, draining public funds with bloated budgets, unjustified allowances, and unnecessary expenditures while relying on government bailouts as if entitled to them. Many of these entities are at their lowest point in the entire history of the Fourth Republic,” he said.
President Mahama further noted that many SOEs have been plagued by inefficiencies, corruption, and mismanagement, leading to consistent financial losses. He cited the 2023 State Ownership Report by the State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA), which highlighted systemic inefficiencies and wasteful expenditures within these entities.
He therefore reaffirmed his commitment to reforming under-performing SOEs and ensuring they serve national interests.
He warned that loss-making SOEs will no longer be tolerated and will either be merged, privatised, or closed.
“I will assess you based on your performance. If you do not align with the pace of the reset agenda, you may be asked to step aside. If that adds to the horror movie, so be it,” he added.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
