Fifty-nine small and medium scale GrEEn businesses in the Ashanti region have been given the opportunity to showcase their eco-friendly products to the public.

The SNV Regional Trade Show is aimed at promoting GrEEn products and services to boost the growth of the local economy and also support sustainable start-ups and SMEs in the GrEEn sector for job creation.

The second edition of the GrEEn regional trade show is intended to stimulate exchanges within circular economy.

The exhibitors were selected from businesses in the agriculture, renewable energy and energy efficiency and water, sanitation and hygiene sectors.

Items on display at the five-day event included attires and accessories made with African fabrics and plastic wastes, beauty and hair products and eco-friendly electrical appliances.

“These businesses have undergone an incubation and business development training. So we thought that having a trade show would give them a good platform to showcase their products to the world to show that one can do a profitable business that protects the environment,” Senior Incubation and Acceleration Advisor on GrEEn project, Genevieve Parker-Twum, said.

Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Trade and Industry was impressed at the exhibitions.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to building the capacities of the businesses.

“Part of our mandates is to develop these businesses; that’s why we have the Ghana Enterprise Agency and seven business resource centres in the Ashanti region to support these SMEs,” he said.

The SMEs under the six-month GrEEn incubation and accelration programmes attracted patrons from parts of the Kumasi Metropolis.

On her part, the CEO of Akaal Skills Development Academy, who trains people to employ plastic and fabric wastes for accessories and dress making, said the platform offers them the opportunity to get the products closer to the patrons.

“After making the clothing, we use the fabric pieces to make bottle holders, organisers, and even plastic bags. This would help us sell more of our eco-friendly products to people and help them appreciate these items,” Hawa said.