Asantehene Graces Ghana EXPO 2004

From Gideon Sackitey, GNA Special Correspondent Atlanta, USA

Atlanta (US), Sept 26, GNA- The on-going "Ghana EXPO 2004" on Saturday received a major boost with the visit to the booths by Otumfour Osei Tutu, II, Asantehene, with a large retinue, including linguists, Ambassadors, Ministers and a cross-section of Ghanaians resident in Atlanta, Georgia.

Those accompanying him included, Mr Isaac Osei, Ghana's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Divisional Chiefs of the Ashanti Kingdom, Mr Samuel K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Asiedu Affram, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives (PSI) and officials from the Ghana Embassy in Washington. The visit lasted for two hours and it took the Asantehene to over 50 stands. Some of the booths he visited were the Western Union Money Transfer, Jacqui Fabrics, an apparel and fabric manufacturing company, Tema Development Corporation (TDC), Unic Jewellery, Afra Air Cargo, Ghana Free Zones Board, Capital 02 Herbal Company, the Ghana Supply Company and the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE).

Dressed in a bright "Okunini" kente cloth with traditional sandals to match, the Asantehene in deer-shaped rings, called on the exhibitors to work at establishing strong and reliable contacts with investors and the African American community in Georgia, who obviously have expressed deep interest in the products and services at the exhibition.

He urged them to use the orders they have secured, to source funding from their bankers in Ghana to enable them to meet the orders.

The Asantehene, whose presence lighted the entire fair grounds with people in long queue to shake hands with him, advised the exhibitors not to merely take orders for their products and services, but also make sure that the exhibitors and their partners, were both satisfied with orders the deals struck.

He urged them to use the opportunity prudently in order to derive the maximum benefit from their investments.

The Ghana EXPO 2004 is a Trade, Investment and Exhibition event created to build a platform for the showcasing of Ghana's potential in economic, agricultural, manufacturing, real estate and banking sectors in the country among others.

It is the second in succession after the 2003 edition held at the Alexandra Palace in the United Kingdom (UK).