Private businesses, dev’t institutions exploring trade prospects in Ghana – SA High Comm. says
Businesses in South Africa and development institutions are in talks with the office of the High Commission about the possibility of entering the Ghanaian market aimed at increasing trade between the two countries, Grace Jeanet Mason, the High Commissioner to Ghana has said.
According to H.E.Jeanet Mason, she is aware of opportunities and investments that is coming from famous brands that will soon be entering the market as well.
Speaking at a Business Roundtable and Dialogue Session in Accra last Thursday on ‘Overcoming Market Entry and Legislative Challenges in the Wake of the Implementation of the AfCFTA, she said “ We are humbled by the enthusiasm and interest of the private business and multilaterals, institutions including our development institutions that are ready to come to the market and they already have been meeting us at the High commission …that we want to now begin to look, get projects and we look at projects for the coming quarter to prepare our budgeting and we look to include in our performance measures, that we then also look at all the investment opportunities that we will then also conclude the opportunities for Ghana and South Africa.”
She disclosed that currently in terms of trade and growth trajectory, her country has in excess of 8bn Rands with Ghana, which has been dominated by agricultural produce, packaging materials, primary goods, products such as vehicles, machinery, chemical appliances.
South Africa is now the second largest trading partner with Ghana after Nigeria. There are over 510 South Africa experts currently living in Ghana from Accra to Tarkwa in the western region.
South African companies are well positioned to grow in Ghana and with Ghana, together we shall move forward to recover the recent pandemic and global conditions in our respective economies.
Dr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke, the president of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) lauded the efforts and urged the two countries to strengthen their trade relations.
“It is never too much having an iron sharpen an iron, it just deepens the trade relationship, the facilitation, the essence of the branding and t South Africa Chamber engaging their Ghanaian counterpart is to deepen relationship, knowledge on the both ends of South Africa and Ghanaian markets, it is excellent to network and pick new ideas and in the turbulence that we find ourselves in the world order, the best way to go around is experiential knowledge.
We should keep engaging in all the services and sectors, exchanging notes, networking and it gets better upon every other meeting.”
The General Manager, Communication of Brand South Africa, Thoko Modise underscored the need for strengthening ties and exploring partnerships.
“it is for us to forge ways to connect with the Ghanaian business community, we have over 200 South African companies investing here, it is always wise as you continue the journey of establishing businesses, identifying opportunities to connect with the people on the ground, it is one thing sitting out there, you don’t know the challenges that people go through, it is best to do face to face interaction.”she said.
