Entrepreneur Foundation of Ghana (EFG), in collaboration with Ghana Standard Authority, have opened the nomination for the maiden edition of Ghana Made Products Awards 2013, scheduled for October.

The award will provide the platform for improving Ghana made products as well as create awareness, loyalty, recognition and prestige for the goods.

The Ghana Made Products Awards will enable consumers to discover new and quality products manufactured in the country.

Mr Sam Ato Gaisie, Founder and President of EFG, in a statement issued in Accra on Thursday and copied to Ghana News Agency, said the event is about showcasing Ghanaian products to the citizenry across the country.

This, the statement said, would facilitate the local sale of products to save the economy.

Despite the numerous challenges that the local industry is facing, its biggest challenge has to do with the unfair competition from low quality imported goods on the Ghanaian market, which is holding back the advancement of the private sector and economic growth of the country.

There are a lot of quality Ghanaian products which are better than some of the imported products.

The statement said the phenomenon creates unusual surge in demand for foreign exchange and affects Bank of Ghana’s foreign exchange cash flow.

Specific products that are adjudged by the consuming public as embodying the highest standards of quality will receive the Best Ghana Made Product Awards.

Entries will be for locally manufactured products.

The Award for Products Excellence will recognise market-leading products that demonstrate overall Product Performance and Quality offering a point of difference from competitors. Products entered in this category will be scored against core criteria.

These include Product Excellence and Quality, Product Content (local materials), Product Innovation, Product Value, Product Leadership, Product Features, Product Benefits, Product Value and Sustainability.

“We must all participate in the well being and financial stability of our nation. We must all make a conscious effort to buy and sell made in Ghana products, to compete with the rest of the world brands,” the statement said.

The product categories include Product of the year, Emerging Product, Innovative Products assembled products, Mineral & Sachet water, Food & Beverages, Textile & Garments and Building Materials.

Others are Products, Pharmaceuticals / Herbal medicine, Rubber and Plastics Products, Toiletries and cosmetics Products, Art and craft, Wood and Furniture, Aluminium products, Electrical Cable Products, Poultry Products and Tissue & Paper products, Shoes and Bags.