US businessmen to storm Accra

A contingent of more than 50 American investors and businessmen will storm the capital city to explore business opportunities when Ghana plays host to a major international business conference and exhibition in February, next year.

In addition to the American private sector business delegation, several American government representatives, including those from the executive office of the President of the United States, are programmed to participate.

The four-day business, investment and development opportunity conference and exhibition, will also bring together several countries in the West African sub-region.

The forum dubbed “ America and West African: Partners in Development”, organized by the African Connection, a non-governmental American Organisation in collaboration with the ministry for Regional Co-operation and NEPAD, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives and Ghana Investment Promotions Centre (GIPC) includes substantial business delegations from Guinea, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Benin and several other West African countries.

The conference, which commences on February 19, next year and expected to attract a large number of Ghanaian businessmen and women, will provide a forum for exhibitors from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) countries to display goods and market services with the aim of attracting investors, improving export market share, sourcing suppliers and identifying potential joint venture partners.

In a release issued in Accra, Monday this week, Dr. Ayesha S. Hakeem, Executive Director, African Connections, U.S.A. and Managing Director, African Connections Ghana Limited said her organization works to encourage greater interaction between Africans and Americans by organizing international trade missions, exhibitions and conferences.

She noted that the forum is committed to linking Africans and Americans interested in developing mutually beneficial business ventures.

Dr. Hakeem indicated that Ghana was selected to host the event because of of its stable environment and strategic position as the “Gateway” to over 200 million consumers throughout the sub-region.

An official launch of the event, which took place in July, this year in Accra, was attended by over 100 private sector business representatives, several African Ambassadors, ministers of State and other governmental officials