Made-in-Ghana goods fair slated for Accra; From December Dec 20-21 (Wednesday, Dec
A fair aimed at promoting made-in- Ghana goods has been launched in Accra.
Dubbed ‘Oxford Street International Fair,’ an event to be held from December 20-21, this year, is a collaboration among Street Fairs International (SFI), the organisers, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
The Osu Oxford Street, a prime shopping arena in the Accra metropolis, will be the venue for the event, which is expected to be one of the biggest fairs to promote made-in Ghana goods.
Products to expect
The fair is expected to flood the popular street with corporate souvenirs, artworks and artefacts, clothing and accessories, electronics, cosmetics, automobiles, foods and beverages and published educational materials, among others.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Nana Oduro Kwarteng, who launched the fair, said the fair would provide an opportunity for all participating businesses and budding entrepreneurs to showcase their products.
With the anticipated participation of about 300 businesses, including retail and corporate institutions and players in the arts, fashion, home decor and numerous vending enterprises dealing in unique and niche products, Nana Kwarteng urged the public to take advantage of the fair in order to grow local businesses.
Why buy made- in -Ghana goods
“Whenever you are buying anything apart from made-in-Ghana goods, remember that you are sending money elsewhere. When the money stays here, it builds our local economy, creates jobs for our people and boosts the quality of life of our people,” Nana Kwarteng said.
He noted that in the past, products from Japan and China were considered inferior but the same could not be said today because of the improved quality of the products.
“Let us patronise made-in- Ghana goods. No country develops by relying on foreign goods no matter how cheap, they may be. We must be patriotic. Our taste buds have developed in such a way that we are even packaging local rice as ‘made in US/ Thailand,” he added.
Nana Kwarteng urged the SFI to replicate the event in other parts of the country and also beyond the upcoming yuletide, to even Easter.
The Project Director of SFI, Mrs Catherine Morton, said the fair offered an avenue for Ghanaian businesses to increase their turnover because during Christmas, there were a lot of shopping and retail activities but most of the time, the food consumed were not Ghanaian products.
“We want to create a new retail environment. It offers an environment for retailers and consumers to come together, not just to shop but also to promote the diversity in our cultures,” she stressed.
She said apart from buying and selling, cultural troupes would be brought from all over the country to showcase the country’s cultural diversity.
Mrs Morton said apart from metro guards of the AMA, police personnel would also be deployed in the area to provide security during the event.
The Director of Culture and Tourism of the AMA, Mr Franklin Glover, said the traffic congestion that characterises activities on the Oxford Street had been taken care of, as road diversions had been created.
He commended organisers of the fair for the concept and urged them to extend it to other parts of the country.
Dubbed ‘Oxford Street International Fair,’ an event to be held from December 20-21, this year, is a collaboration among Street Fairs International (SFI), the organisers, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA).
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| The Oxford Street in Accra is one of the most busy commercial centres in Ghana |
The Osu Oxford Street, a prime shopping arena in the Accra metropolis, will be the venue for the event, which is expected to be one of the biggest fairs to promote made-in Ghana goods.
Products to expect
The fair is expected to flood the popular street with corporate souvenirs, artworks and artefacts, clothing and accessories, electronics, cosmetics, automobiles, foods and beverages and published educational materials, among others.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Nana Oduro Kwarteng, who launched the fair, said the fair would provide an opportunity for all participating businesses and budding entrepreneurs to showcase their products.
 |
Why buy made- in -Ghana goods
“Whenever you are buying anything apart from made-in-Ghana goods, remember that you are sending money elsewhere. When the money stays here, it builds our local economy, creates jobs for our people and boosts the quality of life of our people,” Nana Kwarteng said.
He noted that in the past, products from Japan and China were considered inferior but the same could not be said today because of the improved quality of the products.
“Let us patronise made-in- Ghana goods. No country develops by relying on foreign goods no matter how cheap, they may be. We must be patriotic. Our taste buds have developed in such a way that we are even packaging local rice as ‘made in US/ Thailand,” he added.
Nana Kwarteng urged the SFI to replicate the event in other parts of the country and also beyond the upcoming yuletide, to even Easter.
The Project Director of SFI, Mrs Catherine Morton, said the fair offered an avenue for Ghanaian businesses to increase their turnover because during Christmas, there were a lot of shopping and retail activities but most of the time, the food consumed were not Ghanaian products.
“We want to create a new retail environment. It offers an environment for retailers and consumers to come together, not just to shop but also to promote the diversity in our cultures,” she stressed.
She said apart from buying and selling, cultural troupes would be brought from all over the country to showcase the country’s cultural diversity.
Mrs Morton said apart from metro guards of the AMA, police personnel would also be deployed in the area to provide security during the event.
The Director of Culture and Tourism of the AMA, Mr Franklin Glover, said the traffic congestion that characterises activities on the Oxford Street had been taken care of, as road diversions had been created.
He commended organisers of the fair for the concept and urged them to extend it to other parts of the country.
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