President John Dramani Mahama has tasked the Ghana Trade Fair Company to find a way of rotating trade fairs in the regions.
This has become necessary following the successful collaboration of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) with the Ghana Trade Fair Company, in the hosting of the 20th edition of the Ghana International Trade Fair in Tamale, the Northern Regional capital.
The President commended the Ghana Trade Fair Company and the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) for their effective collaboration in moving the fair from the national capital to the regions for the first time.
According to President Mahama, such an innovation will further unlock the investment potentials in the SADA ecological zone for accelerated growth and development.
The President was addressing a durbar as part of activities to make the fair at the Tamale Sport Stadium. It was on the theme: “Two Decades of International Trade Fair in Ghana, exploring business opportunities in the SADA zone of Ghana.”
The day was also used to showcase the various smocks (Fugu) in the SADA zone, especially that of the Northern Region.
Exhibitors
Over 600 exhibitors from Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, South Africa, Syria, China and Turkey, as well as some public sector agencies, are participating in the fair.
Among the items on display are handicrafts, clothing and textiles, footwear, agricultural equipment, health and beauty products.
New SADA
President Mahama commended the new SADA board and management for repositioning the authority to live up to its mandate of transforming the SADA zone as a potential area for investment to bridge the yawning gap of development between the northern and the southern parts of the country.
“The new SADA was now accountable and transparent and forging partnerships with international organisations such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to accelerate growth and development in the SADA zone”, he stated.
President Mahama further expressed the determination of the government to help SADA to succeed.
Projects
The President said the government was undertaking transformational projects in the SADA area to improve the living conditions of the people and cited the upgrading of the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH) into a referral centre as well as the construction of hospitals in Wa and Bolgatanga, the regional capitals for Upper West and East, respectively.
He mentioned other projects to include the upgrading of the Tamale Airport into an international airport and the construction of the Eastern Corridor road.
President Mahama said when construction work on the Tamale Airport was completed it would have the longest runway and a special cargo zone to airlift fresh vegetables and other farm produce directly from Tamale to Europe and other destinations abroad while the Eastern Corridor road would provide an alternative route to the Tema port and Accra which could also be used by neighbouring landlocked countries to the Tema port.
Collaboration
The Board Chairman of SADA, Mr Adam Sulley, said the collaboration between SADA and the Ghana Trade Fair Company in organising the fair was one of the many steps taken to reposition the authority to deliver on its mandate, adding that the ‘Fugu’ day formed part of activities of the fair to promote the smock as a national wear to create jobs for the youth in the area.
The Northern Regional Minister, Mr Abdullah Abubakari, earlier in his welcome address lauded the SADA and the Ghana Trade Fair Company for the collaboration and added that the hosting of the fair in Tamale had further demonstrated the resolve of SADA to transform the area and improve the living conditions of the people.
The Mission Director for USAID, Andy Karas, said the USAID was one of the partners of SADA and that the USAID had so far invested US$85 million in the Soya, Rice and Maize sectors, which over 600,000 farmers in the zone were benefitting from.
The Chief of Sagnarigu, Ambassador Yakubu Abdulai, who chaired the function, pledged the support of traditional authorities to release land for agricultural and other investment purposes to create jobs for the youth.
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