The 2025 edition of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited’s Grand Sales officially opened at the Jubilee Park in Kumasi on Thursday, 5th June 2025, with a strong call on Ghanaians to develop a taste for locally manufactured products.
The five-day event, which ends on Monday, 9th June, aims to bring together buyers and sellers in an environment that allows traders to offload existing stock and restock for upcoming festive seasons such as Christmas, Easter, and Eid al-Fitr.
The 2025 Grand Sales is part of Ghana Trade Fair Company’s broader effort to promote local enterprise and build consumer confidence in Ghanaian-made goods.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Franklin Kwasi Andrews, the Director of Finance and Administration at the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, expressed concern about the general perception among Ghanaians that locally made products are of low quality compared to foreign goods.
“Ghanaians don’t have the taste for locally manufactured goods because they have the thinking that it’s of low quality as compared to the foreign,” he said. “Apart from that, the branding of our products doesn’t entice buyers the way foreign brands do, even when theirs are sometimes of low quality.”
Mr. Andrews urged Ghanaian manufacturers to seek assistance from public institutions such as the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, Ghana Standards Authority, and the Ghana Free Zones Authority.
“These institutions are there to help local manufacturers improve both the quality and branding of their products so that they can compete favourably with goods from China and other countries,” he added.
He further appealed to financial institutions to support indigenous manufacturers. “Banks should also help local manufacturers to expand their businesses so that they can compete with foreign competitors,” he stated.
Exhibitors at the Grand Sales also shared their optimism about the event’s impact on their businesses. Tracy Adomah Kwarteng, CEO of ChiquebyCY, known for her African-incorporated clothing, said: “This sales event is really going to boost my business in terms of client reach. Our locally manufactured goods are very affordable compared to foreign ones, so Ghanaians must develop the taste to buy from us.”
Sharon Antwi, CEO of Ronzy’s Makeup and Wigs, echoed similar sentiments. “We need government support because we’ve managed to build something from scratch without depending on government postings,” she said.
The Grand Sales is expected to create opportunities for local entrepreneurs, promote made-in-Ghana products, and foster a culture of supporting indigenous businesses.
By; Nana Yaw Owusu/Kumasi.
