Create Available Market for Quality Ghanaian Products- Trade Minister Implore Hotels, Restaurants and Tourism Establishments

The Minister for Trade, Industry and Agribusiness and MP for Techiman North, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has appealed to hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related establishments in the Central Region to increasingly prioritise quality-made Ghanaian products in their operations to create a sustainable domestic market for local producers.

Speaking at the launch of the 5th edition of the Central Expo fair on Monday, dubbed, 'Celebrating 5 Years of Advancing Trade, Promoting Tourism and Unlocking Opportunities', the Minister underscored that stronger collaboration between Ghanaian producers and the hospitality and tourism industries can help expand markets for locally manufactured goods, stimulate domestic production and create jobs for the youth.

She stressed that the success of Ghana's industrialisation agenda depends not only on producing quality Ghanaian goods, but also on creating reliable markets for those products.

According to the Minister, hotels, restaurants and tourism establishments are strategically positioned to drive demand for Ghanaian products because of the volume of goods and services they procure.

She therefore encouraged businesses in the hospitality sector to deliberately source food, beverages, furniture, textiles, decorations, toiletries and other products from Ghanaian manufacturers and artisans whenever quality and supply requirements are met, since patronage will provide local producers with a dependable customer base and enable them to expand production to employ more people.

The Central Regional Minister, Hon. Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah in his address at the fair charged exhibitors of the week-long event to look beyond the boat but should connect, negotiate, sell, seek financing, explore export market and build partnership that will endue beyond the expo duration.

To young people and women entrepreneurs, he encouraged them not to only seek jobs but should rather build enterprises and create jobs to employ others.

Prof. Mrs. Nana Ama Brown Klutse, CEO of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), speaking as Guest of Honour at the event, urged exhibitors on the acquisition of EPA permit and should also be ready to answer to questions pertaining to the environment in their line of work, by seeking to find out whether their work is by any means affecting the land, air or water in other to be well informed to act accordingly.

Sompaonline.com// Eric Annan