Abena Osei-Asare, the deputy minister for finance has said the government will support specific industries in Ghana in a bid to close the country’s import gap.
President Akufo-Addo on Sunday announced plans by the government to review the current import regime to create market for local products.
“We will review the standards required for imports into the country, prioritise the imports, as well as review the management of our foreign exchange reserves, in relation to imports of products such as rice, poultry, vegetable oil, tooth picks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water and ceramic tiles, and others which, with intensified government support and that of the banking sector, can be manufactured and produced in sufficient quantities in Ghana,” the president said.
“Government will, in May 2023, that is six months from now, review the situation. We must, as a matter of urgent national security, reduce our dependence on imported goods, and enhance our self-reliance, as demanded by our overarching goal of creating a Ghana Beyond Aid,” he added.
Appearing on The Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (31 October), Osei-Asare said some goods have already been identified under the initiative.
“Already, I know the Ministry of Trade has identified certain products that we believe within the short to medium term, we can produce to reduce our imports on these items,” she told the host Kwaku Nhyira-Addo.
“Everything that the government will have to do in the form of financing, capacity building and any form of assistance, government is ready to do that to assist, so that these identified group of businesses will be supported to help close the import gap,” Osei-Asare said.