The five-day event is on the theme: “Diversifying the local economy of Obuasi through trade promotion."

The event focuses on made-in-Ghana goods to help empower local entrepreneurs to diversify the Obuasi economy.

The fair, which is being organised by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA), Obuasi Mine, is in line with the Mines Social Management Plan policy of the company.

It is being organised in collaboration with the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, the Obuasi East District Assembly and the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA).

The Senior Sustainability Manager of AGA, Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, said the main aim of the trade show was to create opportunities, foster partnerships and synergies and improve on the quality of service of local businesses in the medium to long term.

He said the trade show had come to stay and expressed the hope that it would be the main catalyst to promote trade and speed up development in Obuasi.

Mr Baidoo said the outcome of the initiative was to improve the economic wellbeing of the people of Obuasi and create a vibrant trading environment.

A representative of the Regional Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr Enock Newton, said the contributions of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to the wellbeing of the people of Ghana could not be overemphasised because they were at the forefront of Ghana's economy through job creation, the payment of taxes and other services.

Mr Newton urged all companies to constantly work hard to ensure that the quality of their products met international standards to help increase patronage.

Benefits

The Obuasi Municipal Director of GEA, Mr Kelvin Ofori Atta, disclosed that over 432 entrepreneurs had benefited from the previous Obuasi trade shows in areas of improving competitiveness of local traders, increased sales, increased profit, direct job creation and indirect jobs.

He said through the Obuasi trade show, about 183 jobs had been created and 57 new businesses had been established.

Mr Ofori Atta said the fair had also improved domestic retail trade and the promotion of locally manufactured goods.

The Chief Executive Officer of one of the exhibitors, AB Fashion, Madam Theresa Boadi, commended stakeholders for the policy to promote the Obuasi local economy and expressed the hope that it would impact positively on her dream of going international.

She called on the government for financial support to enable the exhibitors to expand their facilities and create more jobs to decrease the unemployment levels in country.