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15.06.2012 Business & Finance

Free Zones Board courts investors

15.06.2012 LISTEN
By Raphael Apetorgbor

Companies operating within the free zones enclave have been urged to take advantage of the opportunities made available to expand their business. The advice was given by the Deputy Acting Executive Secretary of the Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB) Ms. Patience Agbleze Acorlor at a workshop for free zone enterprises in Accra.

“Ghana's diversified market economy, general peace and stability and matured democracy make it on of the best business friendly and fertile destination for investors” she told participants at this year's Annual training workshop for free zones enterprises in Accra.

The Annual free zones training workshop works as a platform for free zones enterprises to speed on effective ways to communicate with free zones board to discuss economic governance, strategic expansion and sustainability.

In a presentation on Doing Business and investing in Ghana, Ms. Acorlor, stressed the need for investors to look towards Ghana as the most viable investment destination in Africa in view of the country's enviable investment climate, political stability, and economic growth trajectory and business incentives.

She informed participants of opportunities in agro food processing, fish processing, wood processing, metal fabrication, garments manufacturing, plastic products manufacturing and data processing .

According to her, with the kind of labour that responds well to the changing trends in business, expanding infrastructure and above all very stable political and economic environment, the GFZB is ever prepared to assist in the development of any specific trade and investment requirements between Ghana and the rest of the world.

Ms Acolor said, international bodies like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had recognised Ghana's economy as one of the fastest growing economies in the world and added that "we need to work together a lot more closely than we have ever done".

She mentioned the preparedness of the GFZB to assist any investor who would come in to invest in the country, particularly in areas which had not been restricted to foreign investors.

The Acting Monitoring Manager of Board, Mr. Joseph Akotia urged participants to be export-oriented and aim at producing quality and durable goods that will give them a competitive edge in the world market.

He said government is committed to motivating the free zones enterprises to lead the economic growth drive by providing the needed framework and regulations to improve the capacity and skills of the private sector to enable it to deliver.

Mr. Clark Johnson, a participant lauded Ghana for its democratic credentials, adding that the country was known globally as one of the countries in the world with a good tradition of handing over power peacefully.

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