Company appeals for trade barrier removal

Mr Richard Okrah, the Managing Director of Intravenous Infusions Limited, has appealed to government to help remove the trade barrier placed on Ghanaian products by the Nigerian Government.

He said as a result of various trade restrictions, his company could not export some of its products which are in high demand in Nigeria to that country.

Mr Okrah made the appeal when Dr Ekow Spio-Gabrah, the Minister of Trade and Industry, paid a visit to the factory at Koforidua as part of his three days working visit to the Eastern Region.

He said as goods produced in Nigerian are allowed, with less restrictions, into Ghana, in the same manner Ghanaian goods should be allowed to enter the Nigerian market.

Mr Okrah said, Intravenous which is the largest private employer in the New Juaben Municipality, provides direct employment to 120 people and employs a lot of casual workers during peak periods.

He said the company has listed on the stock exchange to enable it raise funding to finance the proposed expansion of the company.

Dr Ekow Spio-Gabrah said the issue of trade barriers go beyond his Ministry but promised to take up the matter with the relevant ministries and the Ghana Embassy in Nigeria.

He called on Ghanaian entrepreneurs to consider establishing export substitution companies to produce some products which are high in demand by the pharmaceutical companies in the country.

He said products like sodium chloride, corn and cassava starch used by the pharmaceutical companies in the country could easily be produced in the country.