By Dennis Bebane
Upper West Regional Manager of Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Jeremiah Bontariba Tengan has hinted that a group of Indian Business Operators is set to establish an Electronic Motor bicycle Assembling Plant in the Upper West Region.
The Electronic Motor Bicycle when assembled will be chargeable and can cover more than 75 kilometers before recharging.
Mr Tengan said those behind the move have completed feasibility studies and will start construction by the end of 2022.
He was optimistic that the project will be operational in 2023.
Mr Tengan was speaking at a Stakeholder engagement organized by the Ghana Chamber of Commerce in partnership with GIZ to sensitize local business operators on plans to create online marketing platform for their businesses.
The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and GIZ Online Marketing platform is a partnership project to create market avenue for businesses that produce made-in Ghana products, especially from the North to showcase them on the international market.
As part of the project component, it will organize international trade fairs every two years to showcase made in Northern Ghana products to the world.
The Upper West Regional Manager of Ghana Chamber of Commerce, Jeremiah Bontariba Tengan said the hassle that local producers go through to get their products into the international market will soon be a thing of the past.
He explained that local business people have to rely on third parties before they can sell their goods thereby making it difficult for them to get the appropriate returns.
“Made in Northern Ghana products such as smock materials are on the international market however original producers cannot tell how these got there.”
He was optimistic that the Ghana Chamber of Commerce’s partnership with GIZ will create a platform for industry players to have direct contact with buyers and avoid middlemen.
Mr Tengan said the Northern Sector has been relegated to the background for a very longtime and it is high time authorities rise up to support the move.
He urged businessmen and women to take advantage of digital platforms such as social media to market their products and services.
“Branding and packaging are some of the challenges facing the smock weavers in the region.” He said weavers find it difficult to give descriptions of their products to distant customers. Mr Tengan observed that some weavers take pictures of patterns and sample of the materials and send to customers to choose which sometimes brings misunderstanding. He called for naming of the clothes.
Mr. Tengan pointed out that the Indian Business Operators Electronic Motor Bike Plant when operational, will create employment and more business opportunities for those in the sector. The Indian Business Operators also pledged to support business people in the Upper West Region and urged them to visit India to understudy some of their activities.
Mr Tengan admonished local weavers to take naming of their smock seriously in order to make a difference on the competitive market.
Mr Bismark Nyame Ampradu from Business Advisory Center in a keynote address said the Center does not arbitrarily give out loans but extends support based on laid down procedures and criteria.
He explained some of the activities undertaken by the Center to support small and medium scale businesses in the country.
Leader of Tizaakaa-wono Weavers Association called on weavers to take branding, packaging and record-keeping seriously to help their businesses to thrive.
“Branding makes a product stand out from others on the market. Ghana Chamber of Commerce and its partners have also planned to establish a “smock city”, a business center for weavers and craftsmen in Upper West Region.”