The maiden Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council Business Fair powered by the Catholic Professional Guilds witnessed over 60 businesses owned by Catholics display their products and services ranging from event organisers, food vendors, furniture, Catering services, cosmetics, agribusiness, healthcare, jewelry, hardware accessories, electrical, decors, clothing, Sacramentals, Sacred Vessels and Vestments, fabrics and many others.
The two-day fair on March 5 and 6, 2022 at the Star of the Sea Catholic Church at Dansoman in the Mamprobi Deanery, was aimed at building capacity and creating wealth among the Catholic lay faithful. It was also initiated a platform to consciously and actively promote Catholic owned businesses.
Some of the Catholics businesses that showcased their products at the Fair were Vina Zormi, Tech 9 Agrochemicals and Pest Control Services, Oso’s products, Kybarn Boreholes and Engineering, June fab Line, ZKTeco, Eugenia Longrich,HS Couture, Ghanaba, Baduwaaa Klothing, Jukes Kloset, Adawu Korltsa Kollektion, GSTEPS Properties and Logistics Ltd., The Liquid Box,Tupperware Seli Team, Joskka Essentials. Romakie Longrich and Seklem Herbal and Organic Foods.
Hon. Fritz Baffour, a Catholic Communications Consultant and former Member of Parliament of Ablekuma South, who admonished the Catholic entrepreneurs to market their products and services through all channels of marketing available, officially opened the Business Fair.
“There are so many channels to market your products through television, radio, newspaper, social media and digital media,” he told the exhibitors, adding, “Look for expert advice to grow your business.
Speaking to newswatchgh.com, Mr. Obed Agbodo, owner of Tech 9 Agrochemicals and Pest Control Services, was happy to be given the opportunity as a Catholic to showcase his business to the Catholic world.
As a parishioner of Martyrs of Uganda Parish at Mamprobi, Mr. Agbodo, said due to pest infections and reptiles at homes, “it is good for all Catholics and Ghanaians in general to fumigate their homes.”
He appealed to all Catholics to patronise his agrochemical products and engage his organisation for fumigation.
Other exhibitors at the Fair who spoke to newswatcgh.com, expressed satisfaction for participating in the exhibition and asked for more of such programmes by the Laity Council and CPG to give them the needed exposure and network to grow their businesses.
Mr. Edward Ayem, Coordinator of the CPG and lead person of the Fair told newswatchgh.com that the business fair was put together by the CPG in collaboration with Accra Archdiocesan Catholic Laity Council to provide opportunities for Catholics in the Archdiocese of Accra to trade among themselves and build networks.
“The fair is also aimed to provide Catholic Entrepreneurs and Professionals the opportunity to display their products and services to the larger Catholic family,” he said.
He added that the motive was to leverage on the network among Catholics and for them to display the kind of businesses they were doing so that Catholics could patronise the businesses of their fellow Catholics.
He said Catholics were into good businesses, hence they need to promote them through Fairs for Catholics to appreciate.
He hinted that the Fair would be organised on Deanery basis in all the eight deaneries of the Archdiocese – Kpehe, Mamprobi, Kaneshie, Osu, Madina, Ashaiman, Tema, Battor- Ada- to offer opportunities to Catholic business men and women to showcase their products and services.
These fairs, he noted, would eventually become the “go to Catholic Market” where all Catholics would be encouraged to go to patronise the products and services of fellow Catholics.
By Damian Avevor