Accra, Feb. 27, GNA - Friday, the second day at the 9th Ghana International Trade Fair, started on a slow pace put picked up in the course of the day.

A drive through the fair and visit to some exhibition stands by the Ghana News Agency between the hours of 1100 and 1300 saw few visitors going round the pavilions.

Foreigners and students from first and second cycle institutions were seen arriving in their school buses drumming and singing and itching to see the wide range of items and products exhibited. Besides, some exhibitors, especially those outside the main pavilions, were busily erecting structures, while others painted their exhibition stands to put them into their final shapes.

Meanwhile, the fair organisers, the Ghana Trade Fair Company had scheduled the mornings of the first three days for business discussions and interactions among the exhibitors, pegging the official gate opening time for each of the three days at 1200 noon.

This, therefore, seemed to have accounted for the slow pace of attendance, at the time of opening the fair.

Vice President Aliu Mahama opened the fair on Thursday, which had attracted nearly 1,000 local and foreign companies, thus making this year's fair the largest in the country's history.

This comprises 750 local exhibitors and 161 foreign companies, representing a significant increase in the number of exhibitors, products and companies, to participate in such international fairs in Ghana.

The theme for the Fair, which would end on March 8, is: "Charting New Frontiers For Trade And Investments."

It seeks to deepen efforts in projecting Ghana as a safe haven for investments and trade.