The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) is to market key professional institutions in the country to the outside world as part of efforts aimed at generating more revenues from non-traditional exports (NTEs) and the services sector in particular.
The idea is to help attract patronage from foreigners for services such as financial and the business processing and outsourcing (BPO), medical tourism, consultancy and education being run in the country.
The Acting Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Mr Stephen Normeshie, who disclosed this to the Daily Graphic in Lagos, Nigeria, added that the authority was mainstreaming professional services exports into the existing 400 NTEs portfolios.
He spoke to the paper on the sidelines of the international trade fair which ended in Lagos, Nigeria.
The fair brought together over 40 businesses from Ghana to showcase their products and services to the Nigerian market.
“Ghana’s educational system is considered one of the best within the sub-region and has become gravitating points for students from many countries. The medical centres of excellence have also been categorised as some of the best, including the Cardio and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery units (in Accra and Kumasi) and the forensic (genetic) laboratory in addition to existing centres of excellence,” the GEPA Acting CEO said.
The export authority which is mandated to promote exports has over the years contributed to the growth of the export sector through the promotion of four main cardinal areas, which cover all non-traditional products. The strategic areas are manufactured products, agribusiness, home décor/handicrafts and professional services.
The professional services have, however, received less attention despite the immerse contributions the services sector brings the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“We have identified professional services as one with lot of export potential,” Mr Normeshie said.
He said the authority had made conscious efforts to promote the services export sector, especially in the tourism, financial and the business processing and outsourcing (BPO), medical tourism, consultancy and educational sectors.
At the fair, which ended on Saturday, Africa Eco Tour, a professional organisation with diverse interests in tourism and education, provided the platform for several education institutions and students in Ghana to exchange ideas on matters of mutual consent.
A representative of the organisation, Mr Clifford Selasie, said his organisation received good responses. “Before we participate in fairs, we try to get on board schools that are interested in recruiting students from the sub-region. In Lagos, it is a big market so we decided to take advantage of it and we made an impact. We advertised on the national television and distributed brochures. Indeed, we had lot of good response,” he said.
The Forestry Commission also participated in the fair. The Grading and Inspection Manager of the commission, Mr Baba Ibrahim Ahmed, said Nigeria was the biggest importer of timber products in Ghana, importing about 56 per cent value of Ghana’s product, “thus the decision to be present at the fair to protect our market share.”
He said plans were underway to set up an office in Lagos so the commission could compete favourably.
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