Sylvester Mensah, Acting Chief Executive of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM)
The Acting Chief Executive of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM), Sylvester Mensah, has affirmed the Bank’s support for players in the garden, textile and apparel industry in line with the government’s agenda to generate growth in job opportunities through the 24-hour economy policy.
Mensah made this commitment when he accompanied the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare on a working visit to the manufacturing units of Dignity DTRT Limited and Tex Styles Ghana Ltd, manufacturers of Vlisco, GTP, and Woodin in Accra and Tema.
“In line with the President’s assurance to encourage exports and generate employment, we consider the garment sub-sector as an area that can generate very quick jobs and foreign exchange to reduce the burden on the cedi. We are here today with the Honorable Minister to familiarize with the operations of these companies, explore ways of addressing their challenges and provide the needed assistance to help them scale up and create the needed jobs for Ghanaians,” he emphasized.
Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare indicated the government’s desire to collaborate with the private sector to industrialize the country and create jobs in addition to creating an ideal business environment for industries to thrive and increase exports.
“We are willing to assist the garment sector as much as we can to enable them to create the needed jobs and to export. We commend your efforts and we are going to support you to replicate this business model in other regions to create more jobs,” she added.
Kodwo Agyenim-Boateng, the Managing Director of Tex Styles and Skip Richmond, the Founder and Co-CEO, DTRT Group, thanked the Minister and Acting Chief Executive of GEXIM for the working visit and suggested a closer collaboration with the Ministry and GEXIM to help in addressing challenges facing the garment, textile and apparel industry.
Prior to the working visit, Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare and Management of GEXIM on held meetings with selected industry players, including Volta Star Textiles Ltd (VSTL), Akosombo Industrial Company Limited (AICL), Tex Styles Ghana Ltd (TSGL) and Dignity DTRT Limited at the Ministry in Accra.
The meetings were to discuss ways of strategically positioning the garment sub-sector for job creation.
In line with its commitment to invest into agribusiness and the garment sub-sector to generate growth in job opportunities through 24-hour economy policy, management of the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) is seeking a partnership with the Swiss Embassy in Ghana.
Last week, a team from the Bank comprising Moses Klu Mensah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, responsible for Banking and Business Operations;Victor Easmon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer responsible for Finance and Administration; and Jonathan Christopher Koney, Manager, International Cooperation held a meeting with the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Simone Giger.
The GEXIM team highlighted the direction of the Bank in line with President John Dramani Mahama’s vision to boost exports and generate employment. Other areas of immediate priority including accelerated export trade, increased food production, support agribusiness and to generate growth in job opportunities with focus on agriculture and the garment sub-sector were discussed.
On her part, Ms. Giger recounted Ghana – Switzerland collaboration in the agriculture sector over the years.
She further supported a collaboration where Ghana can leverage on Swiss expertise in agro-processing and innovative farming techniques as well as exploring funding options from Swiss funding agencies.
The GEXIM team and Ambassador agreed on further engagement with selected Swiss public and private sector players to achieve a mutually beneficial collaboration.