Gopee-Scoon visits Ghanaian king on trade mission

MINISTER of Trade Paula Gopee-Scoon met with Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, king of the Ashanti Kingdom of Ghana, during a seven-day trade mission to Ghana from March 11-17.

The meeting was held at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, Ghana.

Gopee-Scoon, in an address to the Asantehene, expressed her interest in further collaboration between Ghana and Trinidad and Tobago, quoting the Asantehene himself, who called for the two countries to think together and pool resources for the benefit of both.

“We have acted on his words and it is the reason we have 50 members of the business community and government agencies participating in this trade mission, which follows up on His Majesty’s wishes,” she said.

During the trade mission Gopee-Scoon also addressed delegates and Ghanaian businesses at a seminar, Doing Business in Ghana, which provided delegates with information on the requirements for entering the Ghanaian market and doing business with Ghanaian enterprises.

In her address she said Ghana was one of TT’s top-ten trading partners in the African continent. She highlighted the long-standing historical and cultural ties between the two countries.

Benjamin Dzobuku, managing director of Republic Bank Ghana, urged participants at the seminar to take advantage of the opportunities presented by TT’s mission to Ghana. High Commissioner of TT to Nigeria Wendell De Landro also spoke at the seminar, highlighting the importance of efficient air connectivity between TT and Nigeria through direct flights. He noted the bilateral air services agreement being developed between TT and Ghana since 2020 and how it could be used to increase business opportunities.

Gopee-Scoon also met with Ghanaian minister of trade and industry Kohina Tahir Hammond, for discussions on trade opportunities.

During that visit the TTMA signed a memorandum of understanding with the Association of Ghana Industries, to which Gopee-Scoon was a witness.

She also met with representatives of the Ghana Free Zones Authority which is focused on creating attractive and competitive free-zone incentives in Ghana. Discussions were held on Ghana’s and TT’s free-zone regimes and potential collaboration.

In July last year the Asantehene visited TT, where several high-level meetings between delegates and TT representatives in the business community and the government were held.