Koforidua, Nov. 25, GNA - Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Region Minister, has called for more emphasis to be placed on the development of Ghana's traditional export commodities like cocoa, timber and gold. He said despite the euphoria generated by the oil find, the traditional export commodities of the country are still relevant to the economic development of the country. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was opening a two-day sensitization workshop of 50 stakeholders from Eastern Region on rules and policies guiding International Trade in Koforidua.

The workshop, which is being organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, would take the participants through topics like ECOWAS trade liberalization process, ECOWAS common external tariffs, implementation challenges of the ECOWAS protocols and accessing export incentives. He called for efforts to remove trade barriers that frustrate trade within the ECOWAS sub-region and the adoption of new strategies that would facilitate trade among countries in the sub-region. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and the Venture Capital Trust Fund, is to organize a trade and investment forum on investment potentials in the region. He said investors in the Eastern Region could invest in the processing of oranges, mangoes, pineapples and oil palm.