Ghana-Nigeria to hold business summit in Oct (spread)

PRESIDENT J.A. Kufuor is expected to open a three-day Ghana-Nigeria Business Summit scheduled to take place in Accra between October 6 and October 8, 2008.
The purpose of the summit is, among other things, to facilitate the improvement of bilateral trade relations through the signing of a trade agreement between the two countries.
The summit is being facilitated by Vintage Visions Ghana Limited in conjunction with the Nigerian High Commission in Ghana.
At a press briefing in Accra yesterday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Vintage Visions, Otunba Michael Ajayi, said the summit was expected to provide a platform for conducive business environment for small, medium and big businesses operating in both countries.
He said the Nigeria-Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry was also expected to be formally inaugurated at the end of the summit.
In addition, Otunba Ajayi indicated that the summit was expected to address trade barriers between the two countries and to accelerate economic integration and development through public and private sector collaboration.
Highlighting the event, he said there would be presentations from government policy makers and experts, three days of exhibitions, networking and investment opportunities, as well as issue a communiqué to a bilateral trade agreement.
Other areas which the CEO touched on were growth opportunities in key sectors such as oil and gas, manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, mining, telecommunication, construction, transportation, information technology, small and medium scale enterprises, as well as financial and non-financial services.
The Ghana High Commission to Nigeria, Mr George Kumi, in his welcoming address, commended the organisers and expressed the hope that the summit would further strengthen the existing relationship between the two countries.
He also pointed out that the summit would cement the long-standing relationship between the two countries, adding that “this will take away the fear and suspicion from both Ghanaian and Nigerian investors, who are doing business in the respective countries”.
Mr Kumi said the summit had come at the appropriate time now that oil had been struck in Ghana and that the country could learn from its Nigerian counterparts, whose experiences within the oil sector are rich.
He, therefore, called on all stakeholders to support the initiative, since it was in a right direction for the good and greater partnership between the two countries.
The Nigeria High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Muhammed Musiliu O. Obanikoro, in his remarks, said the two countries shared a common economic, political, social and historical background and therefore, remained the strongest countries to move regional integration forward.
He challenged both governments to use the summit to create more avenues for the public-private sector integration.
Mr Obanikoro advised both countries to put aside isolated resentments and rather work towards better collaborations.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Trade, Industry, President’s Special Initiative (PSI) and Private Sector Development (PSD), Mr Francis Kusi of the ministry said the two countries should work harder to create an environment that would encourage their citizens to avoid embarking on dangerous journeys abroad.