Ghana-Nebraska agribusiness chamber launched to promote trade

Mr Kwaku Ampratwum-Sarpong, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Wednesday launched the Ghana- Nebraska Agribusiness growth and trade relations Chamber to deepen trade between Ghana and the US.The Chamber is a not-for-profit Organisation established last year as a joint venture between private and public sector players in Ghana and the US state of Nebraska.It has an objective of facilitating and strengthening agribusiness trade between Ghana and the US state through the exchange of products and services and the supporting of members to form strategic cooperation and alliances.During his remarks at the launch, the Deputy Minister said the Ministry through the Economic Trade and Investment Bureau was committed to working closely with the Chamber to promote the goods and services based on the country's competitive advantage.'The Ministry has become a collaborative partner of your chamber and will work closely with you to ensure that our diplomatic efforts and resources align w ith the Chamber's mission,' he said.Mr Yaw Frimpong- Addo, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, said such collaboration was necessary to understand the linkage between technology and agriculture.'We are trying to promote a lot more of such collaboration in terms of technology transfer because everything under agriculture now has become merchandised and technological,' he said.Mr Ken Schilz, Co- Executive Director of the Chamber, said the formation of Chamber started based on the interest in learning about agriculture in Ghana.'I continued to make friends, continued to find allies and synergies of what Ghana and Nebraska have in common,' he said.Madam Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, also a Co-Executive Director from Ghana, in an interview, said the Chamber was seeking to complement what other key stakeholders, including associations were doing in the Agribusiness sector.Some Governing Board members of the Chamber are Madam Doris Ahiati President; Mr Sunkwa-Mills, Vice President; Alhaji Akakade Mo ro, Chairperson- Livestock and Poultry Sub-Committee; Dr. Solomon Gyan Chairperson - Crops Sub-Committee; Mr Ato Brown, Chairperson Membership and Communications Sub-Committee and Dr. Yaw Osei Asare Chairperson - Finance Sub-Committee.The rest are Severious Kale-Dery, Member - Membership and Communication Sub-committee; Mr. Ebenezer Acheampong, Member - Crops, Trade and Marketing Sub-Committee; Madam Theresa Poku, Member - Trade and Marketing Sub-Committee; Madam Ansley Fellers, Member; Mr Justin Wayne, Member and Mr Colby Coash, Member.