Chamber of Commerce and Industry opens Wa office

The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has opened a branch at Wa in the Upper West Region in fulfillment of its strategic decision to have branches in all 10 regions of the country by 2015. 

Abu Kasambata, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister speaking at the ceremony to officially open the branch, expressed appreciation to the Chamber for extending its operations to the business community in the region. 

He indicated that measures are being put in place to open up the Wa Airstrip for commercial flights to facilitate and enhance the movement of people, goods and services to and from the region.

The initiative taken by GCCI to establish a branch in the Upper West Region is very laudable, he said: “In today’s business environment, success is not achieved by the amount of assets and financial resources an entity has, but rather the synergy that is built with other businesses”. 

He indicated that there is no doubt about the Chamber’s ability to provide the necessary business support services to the small, medium and large companies in the region to succeed. 

 “Although the region faces myriad challenges, we have made positive strides and contributions in propelling the economy of the country,” he added.

Present at the ceremony was the Chief Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) Mr. Dawunoba Baaka, delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister of Trade and Industry Haruna Iddrisu. 

He noted that the region is endowed with natural resources such as cotton, groundnut, shea butter, and above all the availability of vast stretches of land which make it conducive to set up industries to add value to these raw materials. 

Mr. Baaka indicated that government is ready to provide the necessary support to the business community in the region. 

He outlined some of the supports available from the government as the Youth Entrepreneurship Support Fund and other stimulus packages that will be rolled out soon.

According to him, although the country benefits from Foreign Direct Investments (FDI), it is time for indigenes to also invest locally in the region as well. This, he said, with the help of the Chamber can be possible. 

Mr. Baaka also took the opportunity to appeal to businesses in the region to advertise their products on the Web-Based Product Gallery. “The Web-based Gallery is an online platform to display made-in-Ghana products to interested buyers and investors,” he explained.

The President of GCCI, Dr. Seth AdjeiBaah, encouraged the business community, especially the young entrepreneurs, to apply discipline in managing their businesses as that is the key to growing a successful business. 

The occasion saw the swearing-in of executives of the Wa Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry -- with Messrs. Bright Yelviel-Diong Baligi, Iddrisu Salford and Juatie Douri as the Chairman, vice-chairman and Treasurer respectively.