Handicraft exporters call on government for support

Ghanaian Handicraft exporters have renewed their call on the government to assist the sector, which they described as an important player in the local economy and in the fight against poverty.

Some members of the group who participated in the 2018 Ambiente Trade and Exhibition Fair in Frankfurt, Germany said its members who produced both for the local and export market needed financial assistance to participate in international trade fairs and exhibitions through which they could develop business networks.

They argue that promoting the sector by way of financing could help local producers and exporters develop business networks through the participation in trade fairs and exhibitions shows which could go to create sustainable business models and enhance the transfer of skills to young people.

Handicrafts are increasingly consolidating gains in global markets due to the high demand for it and many countries are responding to the global need by investing heavily in the sector through the development of innovative products to meet the competing demand.

Countries such as India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, Kenya and Morocco are investing heavily in the sector having identified its economic importance and the opportunities available to young people.

The Ghanaian participants at the fair organised by Messe Frankfurt and Exhibition Limited were of the view that although the prospects for their products were increasing in the European market, financial and logistical constraints often led to very low participation from Ghanaian producers and exporters at such events. 

“Participation in exhibitions abroad is costly and most producers of handicrafts are unable to afford and these are priority areas government ought to look at instead of leaving such ventures to donor countries to do”, the participants told the Daily Graphic in an interview at Frankfurt last week.

TradeAid Intergrated, a Northern Region based company which provides an alternative trade facilitation for market access for basket producers in the region, Accra-based Accent Furniture and Unique Home Décor producing company, Tekura Accent Limited and Tema based straw basket and ceramics company, Matamiss Ghana, and Fritete, a local handicraft export company participated in the just ended four-day fair.

Support

Three of the companies were supported through the Netherlands Government Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI) programme which aims to boost the competitiveness of exporters in developing countries to enable them to gain access to European markets. 

The participants successive governments often supported football fans to World Cup events and would not extend similar support to the local export sector which rather brings in revenue?

“The government could provide facilities with reasonable interest rates to both producers and exporters of handicrafts, since people active in this field are generally financially weak”, the Managing Director of Delata Ghana Limited, Mr Mawuli Akpenyo, producers of the famous Bolga baskets said.

He stated that, presently, Nepal and Vietnam which also produces similar baskets were taking the competition from Ghana in the European market due to export financing programme available to producers from that country although Ghana’s products are of high quality.

He said the Ambiente fair was the world’s biggest consumer fair, and many least developed countries were using the fair’s platforms to increase growth within the handicraft sectors of their economies.

Having participated in the fair since 1996, Mr Akpenyo said that the government’s attainment of inclusive growth could only be achieved if the sector would be carried along with other sectors such as the service, energy and oil and gas sectors.

“The concept of inclusive growth is key if the handicraft is given equal attention since the sector  is one that is indirectly linked to the agricultural sectors of rural economy and have the potential to increase income levels for many dwellers in such communities”, Mr Akpenyo said.

Collaborations

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TradeAid Intergrated, Mr Nicholas Apokerah also suggested that the government could enter into collaborations with Messe Frankfurt Exhibitions Limited to replicate such fairs integrated with culture and tourism in the country since they have the expertise having done for several decades.

He was of the view that present challenges in Burkina Faso where terrorist activities seems to be on the rise presents an opportunity which Ghana could harness to create opportunities within the Northern and Upper regions of the country.

“Presently, we have been organising the Bolgatanga International Craft and Arts fair as a way of promoting the local economy of the region, and we wish government could take interest in it to help us grow it so as to help open up the region to business and investments”, Mr Apokerah said.

Policies

Mr Apokerah also suggested that policies on the sector were not connected to what persists on the ground, as such, “the local handicraft export community is unable to assess any loan facilities to enhance their productivity, marketing and promotion so as to boost growth”, he said.

The government, he said ought to ensure processes for accessing fund under the facility were devoid of ambiguity.

The skills development fund for example he said came with certain conditionality’s that makes it difficult for business start-ups.

Madam Matilda Amissah of Matamiss Ghana and Mr Paa Kwesi Forson of Tekura Limited re-echoing the concerns of their colleagues also pointed out the government’s One-District, One Factory flagship project could only succeed with the support of the export sector which would provide opportunities for the unskilled  to become fully employed in many areas connected to the programme.

“There is the need to focus on the development of exports by making provisions for export financing. In doing so, conditions of job creations could be attach so as to ensure producers and exporters so as to ensure that there would be no stagnation within the sector”, the two echoed.

 Writer’s email: della.russel@graphic.com.gh