The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Trade Fair Limited, Dr. Agnes Adu, has revealed plans for a state-of-the-art multipurpose facility, inspired by global venues like the O2 Arena in the UK and the Javits Center in New York.In an exclusive interview on Face to Face with Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV, Dr. Adu provided details of the ambitious redevelopment.

0

The new facility will offer a range of modern amenities, including a hotel, conference halls, exhibition spaces, restaurants, a data center, and a special area dedicated to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).The facility is expected to cover around 20,000 square meters of indoor space. Dr.

1

Adu stressed that this redevelopment would transform the Ghana Trade Fair into a premier destination for both local and international events, making a significant contribution to the country's cultural and economic growth.“We are building the major convention centre in Ghana. It sits on about 20,000 square meters of indoor space. Properly serviced in-door, airconditioned just like you see 02 Arena or Javits Centre in New York.

2

When you come to Accra, there will be such a convention centre.“The exhibition hall and the convention centre floor measure 10,000 square meters. We use conservative estimates that if you want to do a huge concert, standing room only, you can use maybe four to six people per square meter.“We conservatively use about three people per square meter. So you can put about 30,000 people in a standing room.

3

So it depends on how you want to shape the space.She added, “It’s a multipurpose modern facility. We are building multipurpose, multifunctional halls, exhibition floors, and open exhibition floors. You set up 1,000 people in a convention and an exhibition. When you are done, you pack it all up. We have storage spaces, and then you set up the next event, let’s say a seated wedding.

4

Then you take it up and let’s say you set up stadium seating. So we will have all those options that you will come and rent those spaces.“The lobby will be a proper lobby of 5,000 square meters or so. If you have 10,000 people in the exhibition hall they can move freely. You have a restaurant in the lobby. We will have a gift shop that will be all made-in-Ghana products, a Forex bureau, a back house, and a hotel on the side.

5

We’re partnering with a private developer to build a data centre, amusement centre, retail space and AfCFTA secretariat.”Dr. Adu revealed that multiple contractors are already on-site, with more expected to join the project in the near future.“We started construction in 2020, power, roads, drains we have addressed all that. We have completed all the infrastructure on site. Now we’re building the convention and exhibition centre.

6

We had a little break from 2020 to 2022, then we came back on site to finish the work.”

7