The Chief Executive Officer of Agricultural-based company, Abanga Farms & Food Systems Limited, has charged Ghanaian businesses to take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) to build partnerships with businesses in other African countries to grow the African economy.
He explained that Africa's economic growth could not be realised by government alone, hence the need for the private sector to lead Africa's economic emancipation.
He was speaking at Tema on June 29 this year when Abanga Farms & Food Systems took delivery of the first consignment of top-quality beef from MEATCO, the Namibian meat producing and exporting company to distribute in Ghana.
This followed a trade partnership between the two entities.
The partnership, Mr Abanga said was forward-looking and would provide immense and long-term benefits to both Ghana and Namibia.
He explained that the partnership would help in strengthening the agriculture sector of both countries, particularly the livestock sub-sector, which remained untapped in Ghana.
He urged the private sector to take risks that could propel the continent's economic development.
"The problem with Africa's under development is not entirely the government's but also the inability of the private sector to take risks.
"It is the private sector that can propel the economic development of Africa. It is time for the private sector to step up," Mr Abanga added.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Madam Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, the High Commissioner of Namibia to Ghana, called on African countries to increase inter-trade within the continent, still reeling from the impact of COVID-19 and the current Russia-Ukraine war.
She noted that Africans would do well to consume what the continent produces and stop depending on goods and products from outside the continent.
She expressed the hope that the partnership between Meatco and Abanga Farms & Food Systems would expand beyond Ghana and Namibia and move into other African markets.
She indicated her excitement about the partnership because it fell in line with the economic diplomacy and bilateral relations the Namibian government aimed to build with Ghana.
Professor Bani, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Abanga Farms and Food Systems, thanked the management of Meatco for partnering with the company to promote inter trade within Africa.
He assured that "Abanga Farms and Food Systems would take advantage of the provisions of the Permanent Joint Commission for Cooperation (PJCC) and it Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) to expand trade and technology transfer between the two countries.
He noted that trade between African countries had the potential for achieving sustainable economic growth and integration and called on Africans to take advantage of it.
