The Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry, and Agribusiness, Sampson Ahi, has called on businesses to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand its operations on the African continent to create jobs and meet continental demand.
Speaking at the launch of Fan Milk PLC's 65th anniversary celebration in Accra, he bemoaned the low trade volume among African countries.
“We are not trading among ourselves, even as African countries, and we still have huge markets that we need to explore. So, I was just trying to challenge them [Fan Milk Ghana] that even though they have performed very well in Ghana, they should try and expand to our sister countries,” Mr Ahi said.
In 2023, intra-African trade reached US$192 billion, accounting for 15 per cent of total African trade.
While this represents a significant increase from previous years, it's still lower than the 80 per cent of total trade that is extra-African (trade with countries outside Africa).
Anniversary
Stakeholders ranging from customers, vendors, management and staff of Fan Milk PLC coming together to celebrate the over six decades of spreading joy through its market leading dairy and beverage products.
The celebration was on the theme, “65 years of spreading joy”.
Mr Ahi saidFan Milk Ghana’s investment in waste water treatment, biomass, boilers, and solar energy systems was setting a new benchmark in sustainable manufacturing.
Such a benchmark, he said, was not only admirable but aligned with the country’s commitment to green industrialisation and climate resilience.
Mr Ahi stated that the regional presence of Fan Milk Ghana and it’s operational strength did put the company in a prime position to benefit from AfCFTA.
He, therefore, commended the company for its innovativeness, profound impact, inclusivity, and job creation that had driven the economic growth of the country while pledging government’s support to companies like Fan Milk PLC through its 24-hour economy policy.
Connection
The Managing Director of Fan Milk Ghana and Francos, Mr Lionel Parent, emphasised the emotional and cultural connection FanMilk shares with Ghanaians adding, “FanMilk is a part of Ghana’s collective memory. From the first taste of FanIce to the sound of a vendor’s bell as he brings joy to consumers, we’ve been with Ghanaians every step of the way”.
He described the company’s journey in the past six decades as both fantastic and challenging as it had gone through ups and downs moments, especially during the Covid-19 period.
Mr Parent said that the company intends to build Ghana as a powerful export hub to drive employment and create 20,000 street vendors daily to help support the economy of the country, local income, and empower individuals to grow and invest.
“Fan Milk Ghana is still owned at 40 per cent by Ghanaians. Today, we announced that we are paying GHC9.3 million dividend, and that is GHC 9.3 million going straight into the pockets of people living here as they can use it for their pensions, school fees for their children and medical bills,” Mr Parent said.
Mr Parent said that Fan Milk Ghana was committed to sustainability as it had programmes that were aimed at transitioning the entire ecosystem to a solar system.
He said that Fan Milk Ghana had a good relation with the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), adding that, “We have increased the tax we pay. We also paid GHC250 million last year.”.
For his part, the General Manager, Danone Sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Hendrik Born, said the anniversary launch was a recommitment to the mission of Fan Milk Ghana of bringing health through food to as many people as possible.