Accra Dec. 7, GNA - A 10-day African Gift Fair organized by the African Art and Culture Development (AACD) Company Limited opened in Accra on Thursday with a call on Ghanaians to patronize made in Ghana goods for the Christmas season.

Mrs Gifty Ohene-Konadu, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative, who made the call said the patronage of craft products as gifts for the festive season was a way of changing from the usual gift style of hampers containing food and drinks.

She said the Government was determined to assist producers and exporters of crafts through technological upgrading, enhanced access to finance and to markets for more competitive production. "We hope that the producers and exporters of crafts will take advantage of the measures put in place to grow their businesses for their benefit and that of the economy at large," Mrs Ohene-Konadu said. The Fair, the second in the series since the establishment of the Company in April 2001, is aimed at showcasing products made in Africa by Africans to the rest of the world.

The aim is to generate revenue for suppliers and exhibitors, who live in the rural areas, who otherwise would not have access to the kind of clientele the AACD African market provides. The Fair, showcasing woodcrafts, metal, leather and paper works, textiles, beads, hair and body products made from shea butter and paintings, is under the theme, "New Africa- New Products". Mrs Ohene-Konadu said it was the Government's policy to grow Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs) to the tune of one billion dollars by 2010.

'The NTE sector has a tremendous potential to contribute to employment generation, wealth creation and poverty reduction," she said, adding that the craft industry had a critical contribution to make to NTEs.

Mrs Ohene-Konadu said the Ministry under its Trade sector Support programme was facilitating the operation of a number of craft villages including those located at Kpandu; Aburi; Ahwiaa; Salaga; Bolgatanga and Bompata.

The results, she noted, had impacted positively on the craft industry with exports expected to hit about 80 million dollars in the next five years.

Mr Stanley S. Felten, Chief Executive Officer, AACD African Market, said the Market was a one-stop-shop for over 24,000 different types of exotic and modern African artefacts.

He said this year's Fair brought together about 20 renowned artists and craftsmen from Ghana, Burkina Faso and Kenya.