GHANA LOSING OUT ON EXPORT OF SERVICES—GEPA
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Afua Asabea Asare, has stated that the country will continue to lose millions of dollars if the export of services like housekeeping, education and medical services are not formalized.
According to the latest Bank of Ghana’s Summary of Macroeconomic and Financial Data, total exports from Ghana as at October 2018 stood at $12.5 billion dollars.
But in an interview with Citi Business News, Madame Asabea Asare stated that Ghana could significantly boost its total export earnings, if services like teaching and medical support to the West African sub-region, as well as housekeeping services to the middle-east are better regulated.
“In the past, we have not focused on services export. But the export of services is happening informally. And we think that we should formalize this. When we do that we are even going to help the workers involved. For example, the people who travel to Saudi Arabia to work as house helps and get maltreated. If things were formalized they would be tracked and supported. Our teachers and medical practitioners are sought after everywhere. So, the question is how is GEPA coordinating all of this and ensuring that the services are provided properly.”
The CEO of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Afua Asabea Asare was speaking on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the Second Export Marketing Fundamentals Training program.
The 4-day training program organized by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) from November 26 to November 29, sought to equip upcoming producers and exporters as well as experienced exporters with information and some basic skills needed to thrive in the current export space.
Participants are expected to receive training on topics such as export rules and regulations, packaging and labelling, export marketing research, among others.
Source: citinewsroom
