GHANA EARNS $400 MILLION FROM NON-TRADDITIONAL EXPORTS (PAGE 13, OCT 23, 2010)

GHANA earned $400 million from the export of non-traditional products in the first quarter of the year.
Most of the earnings came from processed and semi-processed goods primarily agricultural products and handicrafts.
The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Baba Jamal Muhamed Ahmed, made this known at the inauguration of the Eastern Regional Shippers Committee in Koforidua on Wednesday.
The formation of the committee, an initiative of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA), was to cater for the interest of shippers in the Eastern Region.
He said since earnings from export of non-traditional products would boost the economy the government had taken steps to increase the value of such exports from $1 billion in 2009 to $5 billion in 2015.
Some of the government initiatives in that respect, according to Baba Jamal, were the putting up of the multi-million-cedi Aburi Craft Village to boost the carving and export of handicrafts and the construction of two pack houses in the Yilo Krobo District and the Akuapem South Municipality, areas noted for the production of mangoes, for the proper sorting and packaging for export.
He, therefore, asked the GSA to assist exporters in negotiating for better freight rates, port tariffs and shipping space.
He said such initiatives would reduce the transport cost of the products and make them competitive on the international market.
Baba Jamal also advised exporters to make use of the Export Development Initiative Fund, which had been made available, to boost production and export in the non-traditional sector.
The deputy regional minister expressed the hope that the committee would live up to expectation in improving the non-traditional export sector.
The Deputy Chief Executive of the GSA, Mr Emmanuel Martey, said the authority had developed a five-year strategic plan to facilitate the export of non-traditional products.
Shippers, he also stated, were being provided with all the necessary assistance, particularly timely vital information, to enhance the export business.
Mr Martey indicated that the GSA, which was formed about 30 years ago to primarily assist shippers had throughout the years offered tremendous assistance to shippers.
Earlier the GSA’s official in charge of the Greater Accra and Eastern regions, Mrs Naa Dansua Ayittey, mentioned lack of finance and access to the export market as some of the challenges confronting exporters in the non-traditional sector.
Mrs Ayittey, who expressed the hope that such challenges would be addressed, advised exporters of non-traditional products to be always abreast with maritime regulations.
The Omanhene of New Juaben, Daasebre (Prof.) Oti Boaten, who chaired the function, advised Ghanaian shippers to adopt the best practices, since that would go a long way to improve intra-African trade.
He also called for improvement in the Volta Lake transport to facilitate the carting of goods and services to and from the northern regions.