The sprawling city of Tamale is beaming with excitement and bustling with business activities with the commencement of the first ever international trade fair at the Tamale Sports Stadium.

The opening ceremony of the event, which was marked by a durbar of chiefs with key government officials in attendance can best be described as an eye opener to the rich cultural heritage of the people in the northern region.

The President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama is expected to grace the occasion in the course of the week to exchange pleasantries with both local and foreign participants.

News about the President's visit, has sparked a lot of euphoria in the town.

The two weeks event, comes under the theme, "Two decades of international trade fair in Ghana : Exploring business opportunities in the SADA zone of Ghana" and expected to expose both local and international exhibitors to the huge untapped business and investment potentials in the zone.

Available statistics indicate that over 600 exhibitors from all walks of life are participating in the fair with some of the countries being South Africa, China, Nigeria, Nigeria, Syria, Togo and Turkey.

Organizers intimate that this is the first time the Ghana Trade fair Company has recorded such an overwhelming number of exhibitors since 2004.

Close sources have revealed that there is an increasingly mad rush for stands by both foreign and local exhibitors.

Opening the fair on behalf of the President, the Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Hon. Justice Samuel Adjei demonstrated high optimism that the fair holds prospects to promote businesses, create jobs and grow young enterprises in the SADA zone.

Also speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister, the Mayor of Tamale, Hon. Abdul Rahaman Hannan Gundadow said "Our expectation is that through this Trade Fair some of the exhibitors who are not doing businesses in the SADA zone will come over and set-up their businesses here.

"It is also our expectation that this trade fair will make it possible for some of the local businesses in the SADA zone to get market outlets in other parts of Ghana and the international market".

The Board Chair of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority, SADA, Alhaji Adam Sulley, expressed delight at the massive turnout and stated that the successful execution of the SADA Business and Investment Forum, which provided a platform for all the 63 MMDA's to showcase business potentials in their respective districts districts, has played a phenomenal role in attracting the attention of the international and business community to the SADA zone as an investment destination with the prospects of reaping higher returns.

Mrs. Hannah B. A. Amoateng, Board Chair of the Ghana Trade Fair Company spoke empartically that moving the trade fair from Accra to Tamale is in line with the company's rebranding agenda and ensuring equity in organizing trade fairs all parts of the country.

The SADA zone plays host to a vast wealth of business and investment potentials in commercial agriculture, tourism, irrigation, warehousing, industrial parks, real estate, renewable energy, financial institutions and educatin among others.