GIPC to become one-stop-shop for investors - Yofi Grant

Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Yofi Grant, has disclosed that his vision is to promote the GIPC as a strategic partner in Ghana’s development drive. Towards this effort, the Agency will be rebranded as a one-stop-shop for investors.

He said his outfit is geared towards promoting the country’s competitive advantages as a world-class business investment destination and to encourage trade by assisting foreign companies to identify new markets for the establishment of their businesses.

Mr. Grant said this at the Ghana Trade and Investment Business Seminar organized by the Ghana South Africa Business Chamber (GSABC) and hosted by the Trade and Investment KwaZulu – Natal (TIKZN).

He said development of tools will be in line with the strategy of GIPC showcasing the country to potential investors. Adding that it will be in line with the government policy of one district, one factory.

“Trade relations with our counterparts from South Africa has always being in the deficits with Ghana loosing, but as the Center repositions itself, we will work hard in addressing all these challenges such as the turnaround time of business registration among others”, Mr. Grant noted.

He said areas of key interest to the nations development include energy generation, Agric and Agro-processing, tourism among others.

Mr. Zamo Gwala, CEO, Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TKZN), said his outfit is a South African Trade and inward investment promotion agency, established to specifically promote the Province of KwaZulu-Natal as a premier investment destination and to facilitate trade by assisting locally-based business enterprises to access international markets.

“The organisation is dedicated to this objective and to creating an environment in the Province that is conducive to business development and attractive to investors”, he said.

Madam Lulama Xingwana, South African High Commissioner to Ghana, during the programme, also lauded the efforts of South African businesses in identifying opportunities in Ghana.

She called for further collaboration with Ghanaian businesses as way of promoting intra-Africa trade as envisaged by the founders of both countries.

Meanwhile, South Africa is one of the world’s most sophisticated emerging markets. The unique combination of a highly developed first world economic infrastructure and huge emergent market economy has given rise to a strong entrepreneurial and dynamic investment environment.

KwaZulu-Natal is a major role-player in the manufacturing, agricultural, transport and logistics sectors in South Africa. The economic structure in this province is based on a large manufacturing sector, in which growth is driven by the paper products and ferro-alloys industries.