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GATAC advocate removal of bottlenecks to improve African trade

President of the Global-Africa Trade Advisory Chamber (GATAC), Mr Dominic Oduro-Antwi, has advocated the removal of bottlenecks confronting businesses, to improve trade within the continent.

He cited that the acquisition of visas to some African countries was a huge challenge, which needed to be addressed.

Mr Oduro-Antwi made the call at the maiden business dialogue, organised by GATAC and the Ghana-India Trade Advisory Chamber (GITAC), to identify challenges and suggest solutions, in Accra, over the weekend.

“How can we trade successfully among ourselves if we do not have easy accessvisa to some African countries,” he asked.

Mr Oduro-Antwi noted that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)could ensure better collaboration between businesses in Africa, saying “we should not just be talking, but rather act and the time is now.”

He said it was time Ghana developed its own trade market,adding that “we live in times that we cannot continue to depend on others especially the western world.”

Mr Oduro-Antwi said the chamber would support local businesses to realise benefits ofAfCFTA while working with different business chambers and organisations across the world to achieve its objectives.

The Deputy Minister of Trade, Michael OkyereBaafi, has urged potential investors to venture into vehicle component manufacturing in the country.

He said that “every vehicle has about 30,000 components and there are benefits in that area, adding that “with this, you don’t need to always go to Korea and Japan to buy spare parts.”

MrBaafi said “An investor can  encourage the manufacturer to come down and  set up a business, you join hands with him through joint ventures and partnerships to start  a business and government will  give you support in that area.”

He described the AfCFTA as game changer,and the only way for Africans to explore and exploit its opportunities.

Mr Baafi called on business owners to take advantage of AfCFTAbecause it “presents a lot of opportunities to boost trade in Africa.”

He pledged government’s commitment to GATAC in achieving its aim, and work hard to accelerate Ghana’s growth.

GATAC is non-profit organization that promotes trade between Ghana, Africa and the global community, providing advisory and training services on trade, investment and access to capital or funding services for and between local and foreign businesses.

BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU

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