Mr Akilu Sayibu, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), has paid a courtesy call on Mr Haruna Iddrisu, a former Trade and Industry Minister, now the Minority Leader of Parliament.

The meeting, held at the Minority Leader’s office, was to enable the new Deputy CEO to draw on the rich experiences of the venerable lawmaker.

Mr Sayibu was recently appointed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to complement the strengths of the CEO, Gifty Kekeli Klenam, to champion the NPP government's agenda of increasing the country’s Non-Traditional Exports (NTEs).

Earnings from NTEs from Ghana currently hover around 2.4 billion dollars per annum and it is projected, through the GEPA, to increase to 10 billion dollars by 2021.

He has, therefore, started an exercise to reach out to critical and important players in the trade sector to learn, share knowledge and experiences that would capacitate him to contribute to increasing the country’s NTE products, which have the tendency to provide jobs, improve livelihoods and stimulate growth and development.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu was instructive in the processes leading to the passing of the Exim Bank Bill 911, 2016 and the Ghana National Export Strategy (2013) for the NTE sector.

He shared his professional and personal experiences with the Deputy CEO and emphasised the need for the top echelon of the Authority to work in harmony to pursue a common cause.

He wished the Deputy CEO well in his new position and urged him to support the efforts of the CEO to triumph.

Mr Akilu Sayibu, who was the NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Tamale North in 2012, expressed gratitude to the Minority Leader for his openness and willingness to share ideas with him, even though they belonged to different political orientations.

He said what was paramount was the development of the country and promised to constantly draw on the rich experiences of all that mattered.