Mr Gideon Quarcoo, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), has urged exporters to pay attention to quality issues and avoid practices that can lead to ban of exports from Ghana. He admonished them to acquire the relevant permits and certificates before exporting, adding “I believe that this resolution will help you to be competitive and successful”. Mr Quarcoo made the remark at the GEPA 23rd National Awards for Export Achievement – 2012; on the theme “Providing sustainable motivation for export excellence”. He said: “The objectives for instituting the National Awards for Export Achievement are to formally recognize the contribution of exporters in the non-traditional export sector to the economic prosperity of Ghana. “To commend exporters for exporting quality products and for breaking new grounds; and to encourage higher levels of performance by exporters,” he added. Mr Quarcoo said Ghana’s non-traditional sector was growing and making significant contributions to national economic development. He said even though in 2012, there was a slight decline of 2.43 per cent in export earnings against earnings in 2011 (i.e. from $2.423 billion in 2011 to $2.364 billion in 2012), the sector made a lot of market inroads. He observed that importantly this decline had led to aggressive export promotion and development by GEPA in collaboration with other key export stakeholders. Mr Quarcoo said the provisional Non-Traditional Exports earnings for the half year period (January to June 2013), depicted a positive growth of about 12 per cent over earnings for the same period in the previous year, declaring that the target for 2013, which is $3.3 billion, was achievable. “We at GEPA are excited about the recent launch of the National Export Strategy. This would help build the capacities of the Authority and guide us to achieve set targets in the sector, he said. He said GEPA was not relenting on efforts to find markets in countries which were hungry for made in Ghana products. “It is in line with this that GEPA is collaborating with the Ghana China Friendship Association to organize companies from various sectors to participate in the 6th China-Yiwu International Forest Products Fair for the first time. Ghana’s contingent for the Fair will include 40 exporters,” the CEO said. He gave credit to Export Development and Agriculture Investment Fund for the wonderful collaboration they had had with GEPA and their continued, and increased support for the Authorities programmes and activities for the development and promotion of exports. Mr Kobina Ade Coker, Chairman of the GEPA Governing Council, admonished stakeholders to deploy high sense of teamwork and commitment in providing exporters with the necessary financial and technical support to enhance their performance. This, he said, would help maintain a sustainable position for non-traditional exports in the international market. At the function, several companies and individuals who distinguished themselves in the export sector were honoured. Mrs Juliana Opuni of Joekopan Enterprise was adjudged the best Woman Exporter of the year, her outfit exports vegetables. Kasapreko Company Limited, dealers in alcoholic beverages production, was awarded the grand prize of Exporter of the year. The company was able to retain over GH¢19 million profits from its products export in 2012.