The Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) has partnered with the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in a strategic move aimed at increasing the capacity of Ghanaian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). It is to enable SMEs to take advantage of opportunities within the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The collaboration is the Chamber's commitment to bolstering regional economic integration and fostering sustainable growth in Ghana. A statement issued in Accra by GNCCI said in 2023, the Chamber launched a specialised training programme, as part of its efforts to continue providing businesses with the endless opportunities offered by AfCFTA. The training was held in multiple locations, including Accra, Tema, Wa, Kumasi, Takoradi, Tarkwa, Cape Coast, and Koforidua. It said each session spanned two days, resulting in a total of 1500 participants, which covered important topics such as AfCFTA rules of origin, Export and Import procedures under the AfCFTA agreement, Incoterms, Export financing, and Trade Negotiation. 'This equipped participants with vital insights to take advantage of opportunities under the AfCFTA,' it said.  The statement said 50 SMEs were selected for this pool of the 1500 businesses earlier to undergo additional training and equipped with machinery and manufacturing tools to significantly enhance their productivity.  A GIZ independent consultant was appointed to evaluate and address qualification gaps and ensure these SMEs could effectively leverage opportunities within the AfCFTA framework. It said the approach guaranteed that the beneficiary businesses were not only equipped with tools but also possessed the requisite capacity to export under the AfCFTA. The statement said on June 4, 2024, GNCCI held a brief presentation ceremony during which the equipment was donated to the selected 15 member firms. This includes heavy-duty sewing machines, dehydrators, manual filling machines, grinding and electric motors, stainless steel tables, dehullers, slicing machines and industrial mixers. Others are skiving and trimming machines, automatic pouch sealing machines, grinding and hammer mills, juicers, and other items. Dr. Clement Osie-Amoako, President of GNCCI, highlighted the transformative potential of this initiative. He said access to these machines would allow the SMEs to scale up their production, maintain consistent product quality, and meet larger order demands-critical factors for capitalising on trade opportunities under AfCFTA. 'The market's competitive nature underscores the need for companies to identify their strengths to thrive in AfCFTA,' he said. Beneficiaries are Gabicraft Ventures, Fegoe Remy Enterprise, Eazzy Cuisine, Agape Moringa Processing Enterprise, Danikom Trading, Rosswood Limited and Saliscom Limited. Others are Ifok Handmade Limited, Joeash Leather Works, Lili-Pat Yeenu Ventures, Raphal Delight, Bio-Tropical Products Company Limited, and Ohu Farms Limited. Also, specialised Training for Export Readine ss. Source: Ghana News Agency