Business News of Thursday, 18 April 2013
Source: graphic.com.gh
The Ghana Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) is an association of business operators, firms and industries with interests spanning every sector of private enterprise in Ghana.
As an advocacy organisation, the GCCI was established with the prime objective of promoting industrial and commercial interest in the country.
The Chamber, therefore, represents the voice of the business community with total commitment to playing a leadership role towards propelling Ghana’s economy to the destination of economic freedom with high Gross Domestic Product, low unemployment, low inflation, improved balance of payment etc.
To this end, the Chamber has and will continue to influence government policies which will be to the benefit of the private sector whiles promoting the overall development of the Ghanaian economy.
The Chamber could trace its roots to the first Chambers established in the then Gold Coast called the Gold Coast Chambers of Revenue, the first of it being formed on January 10 1850 by the Danes.
At the time, there were independent Chambers established at the trading centres in the country. These were the Chambers of Kumasi, Cape Coast, Sekondi-Takoradi, Accra/Eastern Province, Keta/Ho, Kpandu/Hohoe, Swedru, Suhum/Nsawam, Tamale, Sunyani and Koforidua. As expected, these were the areas of active or buoyant trading activities. After Independence all these Chambers were consolidated into one national chamber, by Executive Instrument (E.I. 196) by the then Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
The unification became necessary in order for the government to deal with one body rather than a splinter of groups with a common goal. It was also for the group to have a common front in addressing the issues of its members. The E.I. was later amended by the Statutory Corporations Act of 1964 (Act 232) and the Legislative Instrument (L.I. 611) of 1968, which was passed on 11th December 1968. The LI 611 thus begins the modern Ghana Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) which later had to incorporate Industries since the members were not only traders.
The vision and mission of GCCI is to provide leadership for the growth and prosperity of businesses in Ghana and to be the partner of choice and voice of the Ghanaian business community respectively and our motto is: “Your Business Links Our Business.”
Because the Chamber believes in enhancing the capacity of its members, we provide them services which include: Business Support Services, Information and Research, International Trade, Fairs and Missions, Documentation for exporters, Human Resource Development and ECOBIZ which is an efficient trade promotion tool designed by ECOWAS to boost the volume and flow of trade in goods and services within its West African member countries.
The Chamber’s training programmes for businesses are cost efficient (subsidised) and do not aim at profit maximisation, to enable small-scale private and public organisations to take part to build human capacity.
The membership of the Chamber comprises small, medium, and large scale enterprises in Ghana across all economic sectors, such as banking, manufacturing and production, general trading, hospitality and etc. As members there are a lot of benefits to be derived in joining the Chamber which include having the platform to interact with government and its agencies, efficient enhancement through capacity building, networking amongst members locally and internationally for business growth, Seminars and many other benefits.
Over the years, the Chamber has chalked up a lot of achievements. Some include:
Participation in various Trade Fairs in Ghana and abroad, playing a pioneering role in the establishment of ECOBANK, ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme, Federation of West African Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and Ghana Shippers Council.
The Chamber also advocated the establishment of Land Banks to help businesses acquire land for their operations and the extension of “Loss Carry Forward” policy for all companies.
In moving forward the Chambers in collaboration with the Ankara Chamber of Industry from Turkey, is establishing a $300 million Organised Industrial Zone in Ghana to serve as a hub for both foreign and local entrepreneurs.
The GCCI is a member affiliated to a number of associations including, the International Chamber of Commerce, the Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce, the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) Chamber of Commerce and other ECOWAS Operators, the African Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of West African Chamber of Commerce (FEWACCI) and the Pan African Chamber of Commerce & Industry (PACCI). GB