The Eighth Ghana International Trade Fair ended in Accra on Monday with a recorded visitor turnover of 400,000 people and sales close to 10 billion cedis.

The 12-day fair, organised by the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited (GTFC), under the theme, "achieving economic growth through positive partnership between the public and private sector: the way forward" attracted 700 local exhibitors and 56 foreign.

It afforded exhibitors the chance to showcase their goods and services, explore new markets, assess market and competitive trends and re-establish contact with old clients.

Addressing the closing ceremony, Mr Akwasi Osei Adjei, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, stressed government's commitment to move the private sector forward and said government would use fairs to promote export and investment.

He said fairs provided an opportunity for the creation of regional blocks for economic integration and invited Ghanaian businessmen and investors to fully participate in the All Africa Trade Fair that comes off in Cairo, in April.

Miss Esther Dzifa Ofori, Chief Executive of the fair company, described the fair as impressive and asked exhibitors to use the experiences acquired to break new grounds in the businesses and enlarge their markets. She said the GTFC had decided to extend the period of the fair for five more days for willing exhibitors to do business at no extra cost.

Ms Ofori said the company was working on the air conditioned hall and added that the hall would be completed to create additional 352 spaces before the next international fair which comes off in 2004.