Accra, Feb. 7, GNA - An eight-member Ethiopian Meat Exporters currently in the country to access the Ghanaian market on Thursday interacted with members of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GNCCI) on possible business links. Mr. Yaecob Yalla, Minister of State, Agriculture and Rural Development and the head of the delegation, said their mission was to access market demands of meat products in Ghana and to establish business relations with their local partners. He said government of Ethiopia had decided to establish business links with its West African counterparts, especially Ghana to deepen the existing socio-economic, cultural and political relations between the two.

"Currently Ethiopia had over 40 million livestock, which we export to East and Northern African countries yet we still have enough meat products to cater for the other parts of Africa," the Minister added. He announced that the Ethiopian government and the private sector were ready to facilitate the visit of Ghanaian officials and businessmen to observe their market and products.

Mr Sal Amegavie, Chief Executive Officer of GNCCI, said there were lots of products that both Ethiopia and Ghana could supply each other and urged the two to do more to fill the trade gap between them. He said the GNCCI had 34 registered businesses including meat importers in Ghana who would be interacting with them later. The CEO said Ghana was not only interested in buying and selling but would want to create jobs as well and urged the delegates to also consider establishing meat factories in Ghana.

He said the Chamber had competent people to also assist them establish livestock farming for local consumption. Mr Wilson Attah Krofah, President of GNCCI urged the delegates to take advantage of Ghana's Free Zone to establish businesses to cut down cost.

"Here in Ghana, you can be assured of quality workforce to boost your businesses," he said. He said Ghana was endowed with lots of raw materials, which they could explore to enhance their chances. "Ghana's coastline too was very suitable for salt production and those of you interested could invest in that area as well," he said. Dr Francis Konadu Apramtwum, Principal Veterinary Officer of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said the veterinary service "primarily ensure that all meat products that come in or go out of the country was of a good quality. "We protect both the health of consumers by ensuring that all meat and other fish products meet the required international standards," he said. He said they normally follow the OIE regulations to check the sanitation and disease control status of the countries concerned before issuing out permit to importers. "We don't just allow everything into the country. We only accept things that would not bring any health hazard or dehumanise our people," he added. Dr. Mushebu Mohamed-Alfa, Head of Animal Product and Bio Safety Department of Food and Drugs Board, said the board would only give any businessman permission to import such products if they could prove that the country in question certified sanitation facilities that met the international standards. He said Burkina Faso had also shown interest in exporting her meat products to Ghana and would have to comply with same regulations. "We're not doing this to put bottlenecks on your ways but we have to be sure that our consumers are consuming wholesome and healthy products," he said.