The move is in line with the implementation of the National Export Development Strategy, which identifies various interventions and structures for successful operation of the strategy.

One of the structures to be established is the sector groups which would take care of the priority sectors that have been outlined.

Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders and industry players in the exports sector in Accra, Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Human Resources and Administration at GEPA, Mr Albert Kassim Diwura, who read the speech of the CEO, said the newly established Coordinating Secretariat at GEPA was working assiduously with other stakeholders such as the National Coordination Secretariat of the AFCFTA, the Ghana Standards Authority, the Food and Drugs Authority, the Ghana Shippers Authority and a host of other agencies to implement the Strategy.

“GEPA’s role is to coordinate the implementation of the activities and actions of the Strategy and for this reason ware happy to inform you that the NEDS Coordination Secretariat has been set up at GEPA and implementation of the NEDS has effectively commenced,” he said.

Effective implementation of the interventions for the 17 prioritized NTE products identified in the Strategy will require collaboration of key implementing partners centred around the product sector groups, he said.

It is for this reason that the strategy outlines the necessity for Sector Groups to be formed and provided specific terms of reference for their work.

Deputy Trade and Industry Minister, who attended the meeting on behalf of the Minister Mr Alan Kyerematen, said the successful implementation of the NEDS would quicken the pace of the development of the export sector thus giving impetus to Ghana taking advantage of the huge opportunities offered us by the African Continental Free Trade Area.

“Indeed, the AfCFTA is probably the best vehicle through which we can ensure the rapid attainment of the goals we set ourselves in the NEDS and increase non-traditional export revenues to USD25.3 billion by 2029 and substantially create jobs,” he added.

GEPA was directed by MOTI to develop a 10-year strategy to increase NTEs revenue from $2.8 billion in 2020 to $25.3 billion by 2029.

The NEDS was launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in October 2020.