The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), has opened a resource centre to support Ghanaian exporters.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Trade Resource Centre, which is among 15 other centres across the West African sub-region, is aimed at increasing the value of exports from the region to the US market.
Located on the premises of the World Trade Centre in Accra, the facility will assist Ghanaian exporters to have access to the US market and other global markets.
It will also provide information and technical support for Ghanaian exporters on how to add value to their produce.
In a presentation, the Director of Trade Hub and African Partners Network at the USAID, Mr Jeffrey Povolny, said the centre would encourage competition and increase exports from Ghana to the global market.
That, he said, would lead to the creation of jobs as well as growth in the Ghanaian economy.
“The AGOA Trade Resource Centre will be a one-stop shop for local export-oriented companies to learn about regional and international trade opportunities...,” he said.
Mr Povolny added that the facility would provide advisory services and training for local businesses, “to help them better understand the international demand for certain products and technical requirements for market access”.
The Director of the USAID African Bureau Office for Sustainable Development, Mr Anthony Chan, said “together we are laying a foundation for Ghanaian exporters to successfully meet demands of the global marketplace for quality and timeliness”.
The 2nd Vice-President of the GCCI, Nana Dr Dankawosoo I, noted that the opening of the centre would reignite enthusiasm among exporters to explore the opportunities available in the US market and other international markets.
Citing a 2014 meeting held between the US President, Mr Barack Obama, and some African leaders in the United States, Nana Dankawosoo said the US government gave a clear indication that the country would continue its trade and investment relations with Africa, hence the establishment of the centre was a step in the right direction.
He called on industry players in Ghana to provide the needed support for the smooth running of the research hub.
For his part, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, emphasised the need for local manufacturers to add value to their produce before exporting to the world market.
