The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) is in the process of opening additional foreign offices to promote made in Ghana products to the outside world, Dr. John-Hawkins Asiedu, Evaluation Consultant at MOTI has announced.

Dr. Asiedu, who was addressing a regional outreach programme organized by MOTI in Tamale, on Thursday, said the offices would be opened in South Africa, China, and India in view of the increasing trade volumes between Ghana and those countries.

Currently, MOTI has foreign offices in Abuja, Washington DC, Brussels, Geneva and London. The forum was to create public awareness of the MOTI’s policies, programmes, activities and significant achievements that had been chalked over the years.

It was attended by members of the public, including market women and men, farmer groups, opinion leaders, entrepreneurs, public institutions under MOTI, among others.

Agencies, which fall under MOTI, including the Free Zones Board, Ghana Standards Authority, Trade Directorate and Industry Directorate, made presentations on their activities.

Mr. Asiedu said MOTI was formulating a Consumer Protection Policy and Law to assist consumers to fight for their rights in terms of demanding quality products from producers.

He said a Competition Policy and Law were also being finalized to help create a fair level playing field in the market to avoid situations where some producers of certain goods create artificial shortages for prices increases.

He said MOTI was working to increase the country’s export to the ECOWAS sub-region to reduce the trade deficit that Ghana had been recording within the sub-region.

Mr. San Nasamu Asabigi, Deputy Northern Regional Minister, urged all to take advantage of the numerous opportunities offered under the initiatives of MOTI to improve their businesses.

Some participants complained about high cost of doing business in the region because of the high cost of rent, and machinery amongst other capital and called on the ministry to help address the situation.