Promote Investment In Ghana...Gov�t Officials Told

Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, has called on government officials who travel overseas to promote investment opportunities in the country. The government officials should not travel just for their specific meetings and events which they have been invited, but they should arrange with Ghana�s embassies abroad to organize meetings with investors to market the numerous opportunities in Ghana, according to him. Dr Spio-Garbrah made this known when the Spain�s Ambassador to Ghana, Maria F Alonso, paid a courtesy call on him at his office. He said Ghana and Spain have had extensive collaboration over the years and bilateral trade has increased trade volumes which mostly benefits Spain. �We need to reverse this trend. As a country, we cannot have a programme to reduce imports from Spain�what we are doing is to launch a campaign to promote goods and services produced in Ghana, especially for exports,� he said. Dr Spio-Garbrah said, �Over the years, our focus has been on generic trade but if we are to reduce our trade deficits, then we also have to focus on investments that add value to our natural resources. �This requires more agro-processing, for example converting cocoa and fruits into chocolates, juices and other products for the local and export market.� What Ghanaians want now is to see Spanish companies coming to Ghana to add value to our raw materials for the domestic and foreign market. Dr. Spio-Garbrah promised to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ghana instead of import-led trade which has not favoured Ghanaians.