According to Nana Ama Dokua Asiamah-Adjei, deputy minister for trade and industry, the administration is tenacious in its efforts to industrialize the nation by utilizing the country’s enormous natural resources to generate long-term employment and income.
Speaking to local manufacturers and producers last Friday in Accra at the ninth Made in Ghana Awards, she stated that the government would continue to work with them to advance industrialization.
In order to increase production and develop high-quality Made in Ghana products, the government will keep working with the private sector, she added. “I implore local producers to play their role in our goal to make our country the manufacturing powerhouse of West Africa.”
She added: “This approach is to whip-up local production and consumption while internally optimising the needed domestic investments to complement the inflow of foreign direct investments to grow the Ghanaian economy”.
The deputy minister further made a strong call for increased patronage and consumption of locally-made products and services in the interest of job creation and retention.
“Patronising Made in Ghana products and services is considered the best way to support national development and the transformation of local industries, as it helps to create and retain valuable jobs,” she emphasised.
According to her, government recognises the varying difficulties facing local producers – for which reason it is working assiduously on bridging the logistical gaps in order to ensure manufacturers are able to ship their products freely onto the single African market.
Ms. Asiamah Adjei said local producers have been able to overcome previous challenges with finishing and packaging their products, and are now producing well-packaged products which meet international standards.
“This is a positive development, and hopefully we can do more to enhance the output of locally-made products. With the provision of packaging and logistical support, local producers will be able to take full advantage of the AfCFTA’s benefits,” she further indicated.
The awards event was held on the theme ‘Ghana beyond imports’ to emphasise the need for Ghanaians to prioritise the consumption and patronage of locally-made products and services to underpin economic growth.
This year’s edition unveilled the top-25 locally-made and celebrated iconic products and services across all sectors of the economy – which is a campaign to highlight and expose Ghanaian brands which have exhibited excellence in manufacturing practices and standards within the country.