News
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.
—
News
Craze for x’mas shopping: Crowded markets, low patronage
Vendors of food and other wares associated with the Christmas celebration have expressed surprise at the low patronage despite the increased number of visitors to some of the major markets across the capital.
Four days to the celebration(Christmas), the markets are filled with various products ranging from food, clothing, livestock and many other stuff, but according to the vendors, patrons are doing more ‘window’ shopping.
The Spectator on visits to some of the markets in the capital, notably the Odawna, Makola, Accra Central Business District, New Town and others made similar observations as shoppers crowd them but did little in terms of purchases.
The paper also observed that majority of vendors, originally selling other wares have switched to product related to the festive season.
What it means is that there are a lot more clothes, food and vegetables, livestock and poultry, toys, firecrackers, drinks of different types and many others on display.
The markets have also stretched to the pedestrian pavement, leaving very narrow spaces for commuters to move about freely.
That, in addition to a few of the female vendors dressed in coloured attires to reflect the occasion, has heightened the euphoria, leaving the low sales as the only headache for the vendors.
Speaking with this paper, they sounded very optimistic, believing that sales would improve in the last few days to the yuletide.
According to them, there was the opportunity to sell beyond Christmas as the New Year celebration offers similar opportunity to trade the same wares.
They urged patrons to throng the markets to shop since prices were quite moderate and products affordable for all.
News
Retirement service for Elder John Ackom-Asante,3 others
Retired Deputy Editor of The Spectator, Elder John Ackom-Asante, was last Sunday honoured by the Church of Pentecost Windy Hills District in Kasoa in the Central Region, with a retirement thanksgiving service, after serving for 26 year as an Elder of the church.
He was honoured with a citation and certificate of service along with three other elders who served in the capacity for various years.
Elder Ackom-Asante was baptised at the Darkuman Central Assembly in 1979 and ordained as an Elder in 1997.
The citation read “Your selfless service, zeal, willingness to relate wholeheartedly and your desire to effect change has gone a long way to shape the lives of many people in the church and the nation over the 26 years of your dedication to the service of the Lord.”
Elder Ackom- Asante held many positions at the Darkuman Central Assembly, Obuasi in the Ashanti Region and Tema, serving in various capacities as youth and evangelism ministry leader and marriage counsellor.
He was the founding member of the Darkuman Christian Fellowship, a member of the Greater Accra Christian Fellowship; member of Bible Society of Ghana; founding member Obuasi Chapter Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship International and founding member of New Times Corporation Christian Fellowship and Chaplain, Methodist University Tema Campus 2009- 2010.
As a professional journalist, Elder Ackom-Asante combined effectively and efficiently his duty as a member and elder of the church and the demands of his profession, with admiration from the church, kith and kin, till his retirement on December
From Alhaji Salifu Abdul-Rahaman, Kasoa
