The
Gambia Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Agriculture and Employers’ Association
(GCCI) is set to commence the 2017 Trade Fair Gambia International (TFGI) on 15
April 2017 at the Independence Stadium in Bakau.
While
the official opening ceremony of the fair takes place on Tuesday 18 April 2017,
exhibitors of various products and services from companies, firms, small and
medium-scale enterprises, farmers, producers, suppliers and dealers from
various industries in the country and beyond will start to showcase their
products and services at the Independence Stadium on Saturday.
“We
are set and ready and we will start the trade fair on Saturday 15 April; so all
are welcome to go to the stadium. And the official opening ceremony will take
place on Tuesday 18 April 2017,” said GCCI director of Corporate Services
Beatrice Mboge, at a press briefing held yesterday at GCCI head office in
Bijilo.
The
Chamber has already recorded well over 200 exhibitors and still counting.
While
its previous numbers of exhibitors range from 200 to 250 participants, the
number this year is expected to go well over 250.
“We
are receiving and expecting more local and international exhibitors to this
year’s trade fair, especially from Senegal, Benin, other ECOWAS countries and nations beyond Africa,” Mrs
Mboge said, adding that turnout of people to the fair in its duration (15 – 30
April) is expected to hit over the 40,000
mark recorded over the period of the last trade fair.
This
year’s trade fair has attracted people from all walks of life and businesses
from every sector and industry of the country, she said.
While
there have been no major sponsors from the private sector players in recent years, the Chamber
has been working in close collaboration with various projects in the
agriculture sector such as the National Agricultural Land and Water Management
Development Project (Nema).
Such
projects as NEMA have been fully sponsoring participants of small-holder
farmers, producers, suppliers and dealers in agricultural goods at the GCCI
trade fair in the recent years.
“While
we have not been getting any sponsors from the mainstay private sector in
recent years to promote Trade Fair Gambia, we would like to thank projects like
NEMA that have stood by us over the years sponsoring farmers and agric
businesses to take part in the trade fair,” Mrs Mboge said.
The
trade fair has also been incorporating chambers of commerce from other
countries in the sub-region, such as Senegal.
For
instance, the executive members of the Kaolack Chamber of Commerce in Senegal
are in The Gambia to attend the 2017 trade fair.
“In
this year’s trade fair Senegal is our guest country through which we are going
to have many participants and exhibitors in the trade fair, facilitated by the
Kaolack Chamber of Commerce,” Mrs Mboge explained.
The
Kaolack Chamber of Commerce and GCCI have signed an MoU to promote business and
investment in both countries.
In that spirit the Kaolack Chamber of Commerce executives are in The Gambia to promote the participation of their businesses in the TFG, she said.
While
preparations have been completed for the fair to kick-start in earnest, more
exhibitors are registering to partake in the fair, said GCCI corporate service
officer Aji Sally Cham.
Sally
said all businesses participating in the fair and their products and services
are categorised and classified to get an orderly showcase of their products and
services.
The
GCCI officials said the Chamber is doing all it could to ensure there is enough
water and electricity facilities at the trade fair grounds, as well as adequate
and decent toilet facilities for all to get maximum benefit from the fair.
Key
objectives of Trade Fair Gambia International include presenting an opportune
platform for businesses and industry innovators to showcase and possibly
collaborate; championing the creation of private sector jobs; promoting the
exportation of ‘Made in The Gambia’ products; highlighting investment
opportunities in The Gambia and networking local enterprises with business
opportunities at the international level thereby increasing inter-regional
trade.
The
GCCI will also be commemorating its golden jubilee as the ‘Voice of Gambian
business’ even as it prides itself in “connecting businesses and creating
opportunities” over the past 50 years.