Mr Kodwo Blay, Acting Upper West Regional Officer of Trade and Industry, said the establishment of the National Export Strategy (NES) was aimed at providing strategic plan to develop the potential of the non-traditional export sector to enable it to contribute to Ghana’s GDP growth in order to help to consolidate its middle income status.

Mr Blay made these known at the 37th quarterly meeting of the Upper West Regional Shipper Committee in Wa on Thursday. He explained that “the NES policy was formulated basically to provide export opportunities for the private sector to unleash its energy and realise its potentials. The Officer noted that to achieve this goal of improving non-traditional export sector, there was the need for structural transformation of the export sector.

This he added could be done through the increase in the share of non-traditional exports in total exports and ensuring that every district had at least one significant and commercially viable agro-based export product. Mr Blay observed that Ghana had reached the threshold of becoming a world class exporter of Non-Traditional Export commodities adding that there was the need for both government and private sector to put in efforts to harness the huge potential for the export sector.

That, he said could create job opportunities for people to ensure widespread shared economic benefits leading to the reduction in poverty among the people.Mr John A. Waalo Chairman of the Upper West Regional Shipper Committee said the meeting was held to educate entrepreneurs on the need to improve their production for export.

He said the Regional Shipper Committee was an initiative of the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA) to educate, promote and bring local entrepreneurs together to enhance their business. He emphasised the need for local producers to produce in a large scale as well as to place their products in a better position to gain international market to improve their living standards.

Mr Waalo noted that the committee was committed to building the capacity of those entrepreneurs through regular capacity building meetings.