GEPA trains exporters to shore up non-traditional export earnings

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has stepped up its capacity building for increased export revenues, as it expands its Export School to the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi. The five day packed training is strategically positioned to support the authority’s drive to increase Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings to $25billion by the year 2029. The participants included exporters; persons with interest in venturing into exports as well as financial institutions prospecting for viable companies for export financing. It covered some seventeen (17) broad areas including personal and product branding; marketing; research; trade financing; book keeping; standardization and certification, proper management practices and the opportunities existent in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. Opening the School; Deputy CEO for the Authority Albert Kassim Diwura pointed out that Ghana’s Nontraditional Exports Development strategy would hinge on capacity building for competitiveness and increased trading volumes. “We want to let them be able to now trade more and sell their products more online. We also have courses on Africa Continental Free Trade because we want them to be able to have the knowledge that will enable them trade among their African colleagues.” Mr. Kassim Diwura was also positive Ghana’s export earnings would sail at a faster pace if the youth were introduced to explore potentials in export business. He noted that the Export Promotion Authority is championing this policy direction under GEPA’s Youth in Export Program currently on roadshows across the country. “We all know if we get it right in export in this country, what it means to the development of this country especially the strengthening of our Ghanaian cedi. So we encourage everybody, the youth, please take up this business seriously. If you have completed school and you think that government has no jobs, with export you can create your own job and even employ others,” He admonished. Some participants were for the first time introduced to terms like letters of credit and other international trading terms to better handle transactions. “We face a lot of problems in export. You can get a customer from outside asking you if the person can pay you with letter of credit, just different aspects that you can’t even answer. We are going to learn how to be in the outside market, how to work hand in hand with the immigration and the associations we have to register under,” a shea butter and smock producer averred. A banker with the Agricultural Development Bank told Ultimate News’ Salimatu Hawini, “Sometimes we get clients who are exporters and they present issues we don’t have a lot of knowledge on them, it becomes a little difficult and you need to fall on other people so this platform will actually empower me with the needed knowledge and understanding of how to advise them. It is also a platform for me to network for other business opportunities.” The school which runs for five days is expected to be replicated for more entries depending on the response and outcomes of its participants.

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) has stepped up its capacity building for increased export revenues, as it expands its Export School to the Ashanti Regional capital Kumasi. The five day packed training is strategically positioned to support the authority’s drive to increase Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings to $25billion by the year 2029. The participants included exporters; persons with interest in venturing into exports as well as financial institutions prospecting for viable companies for export financing. It covered some seventeen (17) broad areas including personal and product branding; marketing; research; trade financing; book keeping; standardization and certification, proper management practices and the opportunities existent in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. Opening the School; Deputy CEO for the Authority Albert Kassim Diwura pointed out that Ghana’s Nontraditional Exports Development strategy would hinge on capacity building for competitiveness and increased trading volumes. “We want to let them be able to now trade more and sell their products more online. We also have courses on Africa Continental Free Trade because we want them to be able to have the knowledge that will enable them trade among their African colleagues.” Mr. Kassim Diwura was also positive Ghana’s export earnings would sail at a faster pace if the youth were introduced to explore potentials in export business. He noted that the Export Promotion Authority is championing this policy direction under GEPA’s Youth in Export Program currently on roadshows across the country. “We all know if we get it right in export in this country, what it means to the development of this country especially the strengthening of our Ghanaian cedi. So we encourage everybody, the youth, please take up this business seriously. If you have completed school and you think that government has no jobs, with export you can create your own job and even employ others,” He admonished. Some participants were for the first time introduced to terms like letters of credit and other international trading terms to better handle transactions. “We face a lot of problems in export. You can get a customer from outside asking you if the person can pay you with letter of credit, just different aspects that you can’t even answer. We are going to learn how to be in the outside market, how to work hand in hand with the immigration and the associations we have to register under,” a shea butter and smock producer averred. A banker with the Agricultural Development Bank told Ultimate News’ Salimatu Hawini, “Sometimes we get clients who are exporters and they present issues we don’t have a lot of knowledge on them, it becomes a little difficult and you need to fall on other people so this platform will actually empower me with the needed knowledge and understanding of how to advise them. It is also a platform for me to network for other business opportunities.” The school which runs for five days is expected to be replicated for more entries depending on the response and outcomes of its participants.