Ghana selected to export items to US market

Tamale, Nov. 14, GNA- Ghana has been selected as the only country in sub-Saharan Africa to export Afro-centric (locally woven garments) items to the United States market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Ghana attained this status after the sector Ministry had sent various samples of Ghanaian folklore garments and textiles to the United States for verification, last year.

The items included, batik tie and dye, Kente, Joromi, Kaftan, smock, table mats and other textile furnishings.

Dr Gordon Asare-Kyeremateng, AGOA Adviser, announced this in Tamale on Friday when he addressed a one-day seminar to launch the American Chamber of Commerce AGOA Help Desk.

He said by attaining this position, Ghanaian exportable items such as garments and textiles were likely to increase the volume of items to the US market.

About 60 representatives from the business community in the Northern Region took part in the seminar, which had the theme: "Taking advantage of the AGOA initiative".

The forum was to create the awareness and opportunities of AGOA to the business communities in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions for them to get involved in the activities of the initiative.

Dr Asare-Kyeremateng called on the business community in the Northern Region to take advantage of the opportunities around them to explore and be part of AGOA and derive optimum benefit from the initiative.

Mr Iddrisu Adam, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive called on the participants to make good use of the seminar and position themselves in the right perspective to benefit from AGOA.

He said, for instance, that cashew, groundnut, sheanut, cottonseed, yam and cassava, which were produced in the region, could be exported to the US. Mr Adam said the Metropolitan Assembly was ready to support businessmen in the region to promote their businesses.

The seminar covered areas such as "background information on AGOA", product coverage and eligibility", performance under AGOA" and "export planning.