Akilu Shaibu, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority
Mr Akilu Sayibu, a Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), says the Authority’s agenda to promote one potential exportable product in all the 216 districts has approval from stakeholders.
He said in all the five regions visited so far to meet with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), planning officers and Co-ordinating Directors of the Assemblies, the stakeholders were happy to tap into the programme.
Mr Sayibu, who was speaking in an interview with the GNA, said the stakeholder engagements were fruitful as every district was stimulated to produce flagship products for the export market.
This, he said, would help boost earnings from non-traditional exports to achieve a target of 10 billion dollars over the next four years.
He said aside employment and export earnings, producers would also make money from their potential exportable products.
Mr Sayibu, who is in charge of the operations of the GEPA zonal offices and the One District One Exportable Product in Ghana, said the zonal officers were tasked to target especially exporters and potential exporters.
GEPA has taken the One District One Exportable Product to the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta and Eastern Regions where the Regional Co-ordinating Councils, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders are expected to participate.
Mr Sayibu said GEPA’s move was in line with the implementation of the National Export Strategy and dovetails into the government’s initiative of one district one factory.
He said government’s vision to make export the key drive of the country’s economic growth.
He said exporters would be supported through coaching on packaging and identification of products.
Among some of the potential export products identified by some districts include rice, soya bean, sheanut butter, butternuts, groundnuts and sesame.
Others are Bolgatanga basket, Sheanut butter, smocks, leather products, wood carvings, drums, baobab oil among others.
Mr Sayibu expressed the hope that GEPA would reach the remaining five regions by the end of the year with the project.
