The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industries (GCCI) has not participated in most international trade fairs, exhibition and conferences in the first half of this year due to inadequate funding, the Economy Times reports. The paper reported that the GCCI has from January to date, not carried out its mandate of collaboratively organising and participating in international events on with and on behalf of local businesses. According to an official of the GCCI, the Chamber has not been able to access the requisite funding from appropriate agencies and superiors for the first half of this year because of what she described as “technical reasons”. The official told Economy Times that the situation has resulted in GCCI’s absence from the ongoing Benin Independence Trade Fair which is scheduled from July 20 to August 4, 2012 in Cotonou. According to the official, during such big events, the GCCI organises its members and some requisite, qualifies local businesses to partake but the existing situation cannot permit the routine exercise because the Chamber could not access funds from the Export Development and Agriculture Investment Fund (EDAIF) through the Ministry of Trade and Industry. “It also means the Chamber may not partake in ‘The African and Caribbean Business Experience 2012’ which would be organised to coincide with the London 2012 Olympic Games. This business expo to be missed by GCCI, would present a lifetime opportunity to showcase African and Caribbean business opportunities at the world’s single largest networking experience,” according to Madam Em Ekong, Secretary for the African and Caribbean Chamber of Commerce Enterprise (ACCE). The expo would also help connect Africans, Caribbeans, United Kingdom and the Diasporan businesses to collaborate in London. The London Olympics would also serve as a great platform for business networking since it would attract an estimated 280 million TV viewers, over 250 global Chief Executives, 160 Heads of States and over 35, 000 members of the press and media.