Cape Coast, Aug. 28, GNA - The Vice-President, Mr John Mahama, will on Tuesday, August 31, open a Trade and Investment Fair dubbed "Central Expo 2010" at the Cape Coast Centre for National Culture (CNC), to portray the region's rich investment potentials to the world.

More than 150 exhibitors from all the 17 districts in the region and beyond are expected to participate in the fair, which will promote tourism and agro-processing and will also have an international flavour with the participation of some Egyptian tourism entrepreneurs, who have expressed interest in it.

Ms Comfort Ewusie, the Investment Promotion Office of the Central Region Development Commission (CEDECOM), told the GNA in an interview in Cape Coast on Friday that, three pavilions, including a mobile one from the Trade Fair in Accra are being erected for the fair.

When the GNA visited the grounds at the Cape Coast Centre for National Culture (CNC), preparations were being made in earnest, as carpenters were seen busily putting the place in shape.

Ms Ewusie said financial institutions, such as the HFC, Barclays, Prudential and Kakum Banks as well as the Standards Board and the Foods and Drugs Board, would participate in the fair to sell their products and services and other opportunities available to the participants.

She said as at Friday, 70 entrepreneurs had registered, adding that, some key entrepreneurs, who are in the lead of the two sectors have been invited to share their expertise with participants, to serve as a boost to further project both the tourism and agro-processing sectors, to help propel the economy of the region forward.

Programmes lined up to spice up the fair include, a variety show, fashion show, investment forum on tourism and agro-processing, to help address some of the challenges of the two sectors and evolve measures to address them.

There will also be district days where each district will showcase its potentials, while the Ministry of Agriculture will also display its products to the public.

Other dignitaries who would participate include the Trades and Industry Minister, the Agric Minister, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and a host of others.

Ms Ewusie urged the public to fully participate in the fair to ensure its total success.