The fourth edition of the exhibition dubbed: “Chamber Bazaar,” was to provide a platform for businesses to market their products and services to prospective, while fostering business-to-business relations.
The seven-day event was on the theme: “Empowering and Preparing SMEs for Global Markets.”
Mr Joseph Nelson, the Western Regional Minister, speaking at the opening of the event commended the Regional GNCCI for the initiative, and said it would help boost the growth of businesses in the region.
He said the theme for the occasion was crucial in the era of cross-border trade aided by technology, saying; it had become more relevant for businesses to better position themselves and take advantage of the global markets to grow and explore their full potentials.
He, thus, assured the business community in the Western Region that government would collaborate with the GNCCI and work to promote business development in the region.
“We have the potential to make a difference, first due to our strategic location and secondly our resource endowment…we must encourage increased investment in the region and explore partnership within and outside the country for business growth,” the Regional Minister stated.
Mr Nelson noted that the Western Region had a strategic advantage with its proximity to ports, abundant resources, and industrious population, and that “We are committed to creating a business-friendly environment through policies that reduce bureaucracy, provide market access, and encourage innovation.”
Mr Alexander Bogney Bewong, the Second Vice Chairman of the GNCCI, said the event was vital as it enabled local businesses to showcase their products, form networks, and build partnerships, that were essential for thriving in today’s competitive global market.
He stated that GNCCI’s mission was to support and advance the interests of businesses, especially Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), which he added, were the backbone of Ghana’s economy.
Mr Bewong said: “As we position SMEs in the global market, it’s important to address challenges like the recent 10 per cent tariff imposed by the United States on Ghanaian exports.”
He, however, stated that while the tariff imposition presented a challenge, it also called for businesses to diversify and strengthen the export sectors to help maintain competitiveness.
Some of the exhibitors who spoke to the Ghana News Agency in an interview expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Western Region GNCCI for giving them the platform to engage and showcase their products and services to their prospective customers.
GNA
