Business News of Wednesday, 17 July 2019

Source: Ghana Trade Fair Company

Ghana Trade Fair Company to organise one-day investor conference on July 25

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Company, Dr Agnes Adu Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Trade Fair Company, Dr Agnes Adu

The Ghana Trade Fair Company is organizing a one-day investor conference to create a platform for interaction between the Company and interested investors in its Ghana International Trade Fair Site Redevelopment Project. The conference will take place on July 25th 2019 at the Trade Fair Center starting at 9am.

Background and rationale

The Ghana Trade Fair Company was established to facilitate Ghana’s post-independence trade and industrialization drive and positioned to showcase and promote Ghana’s exports with the view to attracting investors. His Excellency the President considers the institution a vital tool for his vision to reposition Ghana as West Africa’s trade hub.

In pursuance of the His Excellency’s vision the Board of Directors of the Company has mandated management to undertake a comprehensive redevelopment of the entire 156-acre Ghana International Trade Fair site into a modern, mixed-use commercial estate with convention and exhibition facilities as its centerpiece.

The Company has therefore developed a project concept and Masterplan for this purpose and subsequently engaged a Horizontal Developer to provide the requisite infrastructure and services for the vertical developments envisaged in the Masterplan.

Detailed project description

The Project involves the redevelopment of the parcel of land which is currently occupied by the Ghana Trade Fair Company and other tenants into a modern mixed-use commercial estate with convention and exhibition facilities.

When completed the new Ghana International Trade Fair Centre will house 1) Convention and Exhibition Facilities, 2) a Technology Centre, 3) Hotels and Specialized Accommodation 3) Retail Facilities, 4) Commercial Offices and Business Incubation Facilities, and 5) Social/Entertainment/Recreational Facilities.

The Project which would be executed in 2 phases will provide a modern mixed-use, smart, green and sustainable enclave which will promote the core mandate of GTFCL through hosting conventions, exhibitions and trade shows and will serve as a hub for domestic, sub-regional and international trade and commerce. Phase 1 will involve the development of 100 acres into a mixed-use development. Phase 2 will consist of amusement and other facilities.

This new destination will also host a technology hub which will be a Centre for commercial, research and high-end manufacturing to support the Government’s industrialization drive into the 21st Century as well as a Made-in Ghana trade hub which will support small and medium scale enterprises.

The development will offer other supporting infrastructure including hotels, retail, commercial, leisure and amusement and other facilities that support the core business of trade promotion.

GTFCL intends to develop a facility that will unleash the Ghanaian creativity and innovation to compete in a 21st century market economy.

Key objectives of the conference

The key objectives of the event include the following:

• Present the redevelopment scheme and Masterplan to interested investors from Ghana and abroad.

• Create an opportunity for interested investors to ask key questions on the scheme and collect relevant information for decision making.

• Present and clarify trade, business and investment opportunities in the redevelopment scheme.

• Present and clarify the incentives and other support schemes available to investors in Ghana generally and the scheme in particular.

• Facilitate a tour of the Ghana International Trade Fair site for interested investors.

• Create a platform of continuous collaboration among interested investors in the redevelopment scheme.

• Present the guidelines and pre-requisites for investor participation in the scheme.

• Present timelines and processes towards redevelopment including calls for proposals, evaluation and award of contracts for redevelopment.

• Engage all stakeholders, including community leaders, existing tenants and all relevant state institutions