Ghana Trade Fair Center | |
---|---|
Location | Labadi, Accra |
Owner | Minister for Trade and Industry (Ghana) |
Operator | Ghana Trade Fair Authority |
Inaugurated | 1960; 64 years ago (1960) |
Enclosed space | |
Website | |
www |
The Ghana Trade Fair Center is the largest fairground located in Labadi in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. It is a trade fair that was designed to stimulate the country's international trade and to carry forward his vision of pan-African union. The center has shops, exhibition halls, clinics, and pavilions.
History
The Trade Fair Center was designed and constructed from 1962 to 1967 by the Ghana National Construction Corporation (GNCC). The chief architect was Victor Adegbite from Ghana. The designers of the fair were two architects from then socialist Poland, Jacek Chyrosz and Stanisław Rymaszewski. The fair was initiated by Ghana's first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in order to stimulate the country's international trade and to carry forward his vision of pan-African union.
The trade fair center and its first international trade fair was opened on February 1, 1967 by Joseph Arthur Ankrah, the then Head of State.
Facilities
The center lies on a 127-acre land it has shops, exhibition halls, clinics and stands. There are several pavilions, among them Pavilion A, Pavilion B and the round Africa Pavilion.
The Africa Pavilion
The Africa Pavilion was designed by the Polish architects Jacek Chyrosz and Stanisław Rymaszewski. For the building, they chose a round form with an aluminum roof - a reference to two symbols of power in West Africa: the umbrella and the baobab tree. The aluminum sheets for the round roof of the Africa Pavilion were shipped from Britain. The iconic round roof collapsed in April 2007.
Events
The Trade Fair Center has hosted numerous events both local and international. These include Trade Fairs, musical concerts etc. Some events include:
- 7th ECOWAS trade fair (2013)
- re:publica Accra (2018, https://re-publica.com/en/page/republica-accra)
Media related to Ghana Trade Fair Center at Wikimedia Commons
References
- Stanek, Łukasz. "Architects from Socialist Countries in Ghana (1957-67): Modern Architecture and Mondialisation". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 74 (4): 416–442. doi:10.1525/jsah.2015.74.4.416. ISSN 0037-9808.
- Stanek, Łukasz (2020). Architecture in global socialism : Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-19455-4. OCLC 1134854794.
- Stanek, Łukasz. "Architects from Socialist Countries in Ghana (1957-67): Modern Architecture and Mondialisation". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 74 (4): 417. ISSN 0037-9808.
- "Trade Fair Centre to be transformed into Mini Expo City". Retrieved 2015-05-06.
- "Trade Fair Centre in ruins". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
- Stanek, Łukasz. "Architects from Socialist Countries in Ghana (1957-67): Modern Architecture and Mondialisation". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 74 (4): 416–442. doi:10.1525/jsah.2015.74.4.416. ISSN 0037-9808.
- Stanek, Łukasz (2020). Architecture in global socialism : Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-19455-4. OCLC 1134854794.
- Osam, Efua Idan. "Gov't to compensate La residents over Trade Fair land". Retrieved 2015-05-06.
- Akligo, Ernest. "Govt seeks strategic investors to revive trade fair". www.adomonline.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.
- Stanek, Łukasz. "Architects from Socialist Countries in Ghana (1957-67): Modern Architecture and Mondialisation". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 74 (4): 416–442. doi:10.1525/jsah.2015.74.4.416. ISSN 0037-9808.
- Stanek, Łukasz. "Architects from Socialist Countries in Ghana (1957-67): Modern Architecture and Mondialisation". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 74 (4): 416–442. doi:10.1525/jsah.2015.74.4.416. ISSN 0037-9808.
- Stanek, Łukasz (2020). Architecture in global socialism : Eastern Europe, West Africa, and the Middle East in the Cold War. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-19455-4. OCLC 1134854794.
- "Roof of Round Pavilion at Trade Fair collapses | General News 2007-04-17". www.ghanaweb.com. Retrieved 2018-12-16.
- "Ghana News - Trade Fair Centre undergoes refurbishment ahead of upcoming 7th ECOWAS trade fair". www.myjoyonline.com. Retrieved 2015-05-06.