The government will soon establish a 1.5 billion-Ghana Infrastructure Development Fund to facilitate trade and industry, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry has revealed.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah was addressing staff of the Western Regional Office of the Ghana Free Zones Board, at Takoradi, during an unannounced visit.

The Minister also visited the offices of the Ghana Standards Authority, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and the Takoradi Port.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah said the government was working towards transforming Ghana into an industrialised nation, where raw materials will be processed into high-quality products for export.

In line with this, he said, the President planned to make the Western Region the industrial hub of the country.

At the Ghana Standards Authority, he said the government had approved, in principle, the procurement of equipment for the Authority to measure standards in the oil and gas sector.

Dr.Spio-Garbrah asked the Authority to start taking an interest in the oil and gas sector, particularly, to monitor the output of products of the industry before export.

At the Takoradi Port, he said a stakeholders’ meeting would be held to formulate a strategy to enable the Tema and Takoradi Ports to offer 24-hour services, and ensure their smooth operations.

Dr. Spio-Garbrah said the Takoradi Port had great potential and could render more services to the industries.

He said incentives would be given to importers and exporters to use the Takoradi Port and expressed satisfaction about the plans being put in place at the Port for the oil and gas sector.