Mrs. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, says the government will promote private sector growth despite the economic challenges. She said the government would continue to prioritise the needs of the private sector to enable it to facilitate economic growth. The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI) Secretariat in Accra. The Secretariat will function as the Chamber's Administrative Office. The Minister said the government would continue to work with the Chamber to implement policies that would support and grow local businesses. She said her outfit had worked closely with the Chamber over the years to protect and promote private sector interests. 'The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration's diplomatic efforts have equally focused on partnership with the Chamber on deepening political and economic ties globally,' she added. She said through several projects, including signing MOUs, business-to-business events, capacity building, and trade missions, among others, the ministry had partnered with the GNCCI to promote private businesses. The government, she maintained, would continue to work closely with the Chamber to support the growth of local businesses. She urged the Ghanaian business community to actively engage with the GNCCI, to leverage the many opportunities and resources available, and to contribute to the Chamber's mission of promoting a better business environment. Mr. Kobina Tahiru Hammond, Minister for Trade and Industries, said, in a speech read on his behalf, that Ghana was currently at a crucial time since there were significant headwinds stemming from both the domestic and external economic environment. He said it was essential to strengthen strategic collaborations between the government and the private sector, noting that GNCCI played a crucial role in facilitating these collaborations. He emphasised the government's commitment to collaborating with GNCCI to satisfy the needs of the business community and boost Ghanaian enterprises' competitiveness. Dr. Clement Osei Amoako, President of the GNCCI, encouraged the government to assist the Chamber's efforts to establish a regional secretariat to facilitate the chamber's regional operations. He said the new headquarters would be a bustling hub for nurturing ideas, developing strategies, and forming collaborations. The President emphasised that the secretariat would become a place where the private sector's interests would be championed while also contributing to the nation's economic progress and prosperity. Source: Ghana News Agency