The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Exports Promotion Authority, Dr. Afua Asabea Asare has described the 18% intra-African trade of Ghana’s total exports as woefully inadequate.

According to the CEO of GEPA, who was speaking at the Graphic Business & Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting in Accra, cross-sector initiatives that are currently ongoing will ensure that Ghana’s activity with respect to trading with other African countries sees tremendous improvement.

Dr. Afua Asare said regional roadshows throughout the 16 regions of the country has been embarked on to sensitize stakeholders on the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS).

She said the comprehensive document has relevant inputs from government, private sector, academia, civil society and the media, adding that when fully followed through with, it will catapult the Ghanaian exporting industry to success.

The CEO of GEPA said, “within the National Exports Development Strategy, is a portion dedicated to a list of interventions on how together as a nation, we can effectively position Ghanaian export goods and services in the African Continental Free Trade Area.”

She added that it is also imperative to augment the capacity of women traders in the country who represent 65% of the SME space, as it is a sure way of positioning the country for success in intra-African trade.