South African companies participating in the Ghana International Trade Fair in Accra are hopeful of securing business deals and expanding their footprint on the continent.
Managing Director of Dryers for Africa, Catherine de Villiers, said her company’s participation in Ghana is to seek distributors and to expand their reach across the continent.
“We anticipate getting more clients and distributors through this platform since the market has been responding positively to our products,” said De Villiers of the trade fair that got underway in Accra on Thursday.
De Villiers is part of a group of 20 South African companies specialising in agro-processing, chemicals, clothing and textiles, forestry furniture, creative industries, built environment and capital equipment that will exhibit their products and services at the fair.
The companies are participating in the West African country’s fair as a result of the Department of Trade and Industry’s Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme. The scheme aims to develop export markets for South African products and services and recruit new foreign direct investment into the country.
Steven Buthelezi of Honingcraft Moser says he is looking forward to a fruitful week for his company that manufactures hydraulic cylinders.
“I am looking forward to the meetings that the department has secured for us in addition to participating in the trade fair,” said Buthelezi.
Meanwhile, the dti’s Foreign Economic Representative based in Ghana, Nompumelelo Hlela, said the companies will have an opportunity to promote South Africa’s products and services.
She said the exhibition will provide the companies an opportunity to interact with Ghanaian businesses as well as others that will be participating in the exhibition.
“We have secured meetings for most of our firms with chambers of commerce and industry associations in Ghana. These meetings will take place parallel to the exhibition. The intention is to get our companies maximum exposure to the Ghanaian market and secure business deals with the private sector at large,” says Hlela.
Held under the theme, ‘Industrialising Ghana, Creating Jobs’, the fair runs from 28 February to 7 March. - SAnews.gov.za
