Accra, July 19, GNA - Mr Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade, Industry (MOTI) and President's Special Initiatives (PSI), on Friday urged handicraft producers to develop the sector from the present domestic tourist cultural activity to a vibrant export driven entrepreneurial one. He said handicraft production should be market oriented with significant product design focus and not just cultural artefacts. Mr Kyerematen made the point in a discussion, after inaugurating a 12-member advisory board on handicraft production in Accra.

Hajia Alima Mahama, Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and PSI in charge of Small and Medium Enterprises, is Chairperson of the board, which would assist the Ministry to come up with a strategy document to guide the orderly development of the handicraft industry. Mr Kyerematen said mass production of quality products had implications for technology design and volume of production and required mass mobilisation of rural communities and other vulnerable groups in urban communities. This, he said, fell under the New Industrial Reform and Accelerated Growth Programme of the MOTI and PSI, whose strategy was to develop an export oriented industrialisation with primary emphasis on agro-processing and manufacturing that involved mass mobilisation and other vulnerable groups. It is also to implement the President's Special Initiatives on cassava, salt, oil palm and textiles.

Mr Kyerematen reminded handicraft producers to use local materials and satisfy sensitive environmental requirements of buyer nations. He urged handicraft producers to be functional, creative and innovative for their products to be unique on the international market.