The Fifth Volta Trade and Investment Fair successfully began on Monday, November 15, 2021 in the Volta regional capital of Ho. The fair will span two weeks and is expected to showcase businesses of Volta origin as well as the numerous business and investment opportunities that abound in the region to enable investors make informed decisions for investing in the region.
The fair which is currently ongoing at the Ho Sports Stadium will also showcase the many tourism destinations and opportunities in the region.
It is dubbed, “Volta Trade and Investment Fair,” and is the fifth in the series. It is swirling around the theme, “Creating the Enabling Environment for Agri-Business, Tourism and ICT Companies.”
The preceding fairs; the first in 2009, others following in 2010, 2011 and 2019 focused on investments, culture, tourism and agribusiness.
The Region has a boisterous coast line being developed into a commercial seaport, Keta.
It also has the plains and the highlands, mountain ranges, lush vegetation, lagoons, many creeks, brooks and streams, rivers and home to portions of the Volta Lake. And then also, the awe-inspiring water falls, one of which is Wli, branded by its overcast fruit bats.
The people-Voltarians-have migration paths, relics of colonial rule and interplays between locals and missionaries on the trail to plant Christianity worth hyping and retracing.
The structures where the Breman Missionaries operated from Adaklu-Waya and the tombs of Missionaries at Anyako are among such spots to be relished.
The vegetation zone makes the Region essentially agrarian.
Crops cultivated, include grains, tubers and roots, vegetables and cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, coconuts, palms trees, mangoes, pears, oranges, bananas and pears.
The Region is strategically placed between huge markets to the east, Togo and Nigeria and westwards, Accra-Tema.
Its competitive strength has always been in agribusiness and tourism and of-course, ICT.
These need to be pushed hard to keep the Region’s relevance in the competition throbbing with the operationalisation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
So, for the two weeks, Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies, companies, business promotion parastatals, and financial institutions will be busily moving up and down stands, backstage business clinics and conferences seeking to make business deals.
The Fair must go beyond the hearty chats over foods and liquors, display of images of tourist attractions to serious chats leading to follow up trails about business.
The focus for example, could be on setting up fruit and vegetable processing factories perhaps as chains and building linkages with farmers through marketing companies.
The roots, tubers and legumes production in the Region is a challenge to the foods and nutrition students and faculties to liaise with entrepreneurs to brand Volta foods for the local, national and international shelves.
The results of the Fair must make tourist arrivals in Volta Region evident on the streets, markets, hotels, transport terminals and restaurants.
Yes, there is a linkage between tourism and sanitation, food hygiene, road safety and personal security.
Fortunately the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) Volta and Oti, co-organisers of the Fair have the experience to help achieve expected results.
Emmanuel Yaw Nyaku, a former Volta Regional Director of the National Board for Small-scale Industries (NBSSI), once told the GNA in an interview that a business that takes off in the Region must bring on board micro business operators because that sector was the pillar of the regional economy.
Thankfully, AGI is leading this charge with the engagement of local and foreign entrepreneurs and diplomats for match-making towards opening up the Region for growth.
Checks indicate that hotels in Ho and other parts of the Region are booked ahead of the two weeks event.
Hundreds of exhibitors, some from outside the country, have registered and expecting to grab some business.
Volta is famous for festivals and celebrations, especially in November and the Fair is promising to be Christmas before Christmas and you can’t miss it.
Source: Nelson Ayivor, Ghananewsonline.com.gh with additional files from the GNA