Accra, Feb. 16, GNA - Mr Nabil Moukarzel, Executive Chairman of the Finatrade Group of Companies, has said the company has employed over 2,000 Ghanaians since its establishment in 1995.

"Over 1,000 others are employed indirectly from my outfit and we hope t= o increase the figures in the coming years," he added. Mr Moukarzel disclosed this at a get-to-gether jointly organised by Market Direct Limited, Sucatrade, and Continental Commodities Trading Company, subsidiaries of the Company.

The interaction dubbed 91Clients Night' was meant to socialize with clients, mostly key distributors of rice, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from all over the country.

The Executive Chairman called on government to implement measures that would discourage the smuggling of rice and beverages into the country. He said genuine trade in the country had over the years been punctuated with massive smuggling of those commodities due mainly to the high tariffs at the country's major entry-points and called for a review that would pl= ace Ghana on a level playing field with traders in her neighbouring countries. Mr Moukarzel appealed to the Bank of Ghana to work towards the stabilisation of the cedi which had taken a nosedive since the beginning of the year so as to encourage good trading practices.

"We at Finatrade are so much concerned about the daily fall of the Ced= i against major currencies and it is important we reverse the trend to avoid high prices of food in the coming weeks."

Miss Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines commended Finatrade Group of companies for initiating a scholarship scheme for needy but brilliant Agricultural students in four state-owned Universities. "I am also very glad to announce that Finatrade Foundation will this ye= ar extend the scholarship scheme to Graduate students in Agriculture, which is very commendable."

Ms Aryee who is also the Chairman of Finatrade Foundation, said since it= s establishment 15 years ago, the company had established subsidiary companie= s in six West African countries. She appealed to government to provide a congenial atmosphere for trade an= d business to expand and provide jobs to the youth.