The 9th edition of the International Art and Craft Fair-BICAF, initiated by TradeAid, just ended in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region. This initiative, which began in 2014, aims to provide a platform for the entrepreneurial sector, expose craftsmen to the international market, and train them in adding value to their products.
Speaking to the media at the opening ceremony in Bolgatanga, the Executive Director of TradeAid, Nicholas Apokerah, emphasised the need for effective collaboration to make the International Art and Craft Fair-BICAF in the Upper East Region a memorable event.
According to Mr. Apokereah, there is a significant need for all stakeholders, including MMDCEs (Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives), political actors, the Ministry of Trade, and the Ghana Enterprise Promotion Agency, to show a greater interest in order to help make it one of the biggest economic festivals in the country.
“Some of the MMDAs can also play a key role. In the past, we have not seen them come on board the way we expect them to. The Ministry of Trade, the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, and the Ghana Enterprise Agency, among others, are just complementing what they have to do. So if we started this, we expect them to come on board so that we can all grow it and make it a significant activity in the region.”
The 9th edition of the International Art and Craft Fair-BICAF has brought together craftsmen, entrepreneurs, and other business owners for exhibitions over the course of five days, along with cultural music performances.
On his part, the Bolgatanga Municipal Chief Executive, Rex Asanga, applauded TradeAid for the initiative in the municipality and the region as a whole. According to Mr. Asanga, the annual program is something he believes will contribute to the local economy, and his office is ready to support, promote, and sustain the initiative.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|David Azure|Bolgatanga|
