Ms. Nelly Spio-Abaidoo, Principal Export Development Officer at Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), has called on Ghanaian SMEs to participate in international trade, stressing that “Ghanaian SMEs have the potential to participate in international trade.”

Ms. Spio-Abaidoo made this known at a five-day workshop for some women-led businesses to expose them to relevant information in the international trade arena and help them to compete in available market across the globe. She noted that SMEs across the country have what it takes to compete. However, she revealed that they lack in certain areas.

The training programme was organized in collaboration with the Trade Facilitation Office (TFO) of Canada to create a sustainable trade partnership for exporters from Ghana with their counterparts in Canada.

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“Most SMEs have the quality of product needed in the international trade, but what is lacking is preparedness in terms of packaging and negotiation aside proper business documentation and registration”.
Ms. Nelly Spio-Abaidoo

The Principal Export Development Officer averred that the event would provide a unique and valuable platform for businesses to familiarize with the best practices around trade shows, steps in cross-cultural negotiations and factors affecting pricing in an export market, among others.

The Zonal Officer of GEPA, in the Western and Western North Regions, Ms. Ursula Tawiah explained that the core mandate of the Authority is to promote, facilitate and develop non-traditional export products.

Ms. Ursula Tawiah indicated that the training was to encourage women to collaborate to take advantage of the export markets.

Training Programme to Boost Exporters’ Knowledge

Mr. Albert Kassim Diawura, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEPA, opined that the training programme was part of GEPA’s efforts to groom exporters for easy access to external markets and ultimately to shore up exports.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of GEPA stated that international trade, unlike the local market, had restrictions and specifics that must be adhered to in terms of product certifications and the legalities of trade and export documentation.

Mr. Albert Kassim Diawura noted that it is relevant that exporters are introduced to emerging trends in international trade to help them.

“We realized that we have a lot of women who are doing well in the export trade business, and it is important to build their capacities to enable them to overcome the challenges in the international trade arena.”
Albert Kassim Diawura

However, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), Ms. Afua Asabea Asare bemoaned what seems to be a “winner takes all” attitude that is becoming characteristic of some exporters in the country.

“We have seen several instances where a buyer abroad places an order for a quantum of goods to be delivered by a local exporter who doesn’t have that capacity, but instead of him/her bringing others on board to deliver to the buyer to keep the business, they keep it to themselves until they’re able to deliver just a fraction of the order by themselves and most often end up losing the whole contract.”
Ms. Afua Asabea

The Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) therefore, admonished individuals involved in the agribusiness value chain to improve on the standards of their goods if they are to access the international market.