The Vice President of Ghana, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has been selling the Nana Akufo-Addo government’s ‘One District One Factory’ programme to businesses in Mauritius.
The ‘One District One Factory’ programme is a public-private partnership for ensuring nationwide spread of industrialization in all 216 districts in Ghana.
The private sector will provide the investment, although government could partner if such an investment of public funds is adjudged prudent and advantageous.
Speaking at a Breakfast Business Meeting hosted by the Mauritius Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade in collaboration with the Board of Investment of Mauritius, Dr Bawumia emphasized the NPP government’s determination to make the private sector a major player in Ghana’s economy, and called on Mauritian and other businesses to take advantage of the pro-business policies announced in the budget to set up shop in Ghana.
“An industrialisation drive is our main agenda, the ‘One-District One Factory’ is the programme to achieve this, and the 216 districts have raw materials and need push up to get value addition to the products,” he stated.
“Ghana cannot do it alone, we are in the context of the global economy and need partners, that is why we cherish the South-South cooperation between Ghana and Mauritius so much.
“We want to take advantage of the close relationship to make a major mark as far as our respective economies are concerned.
“The government has made a major commitment to build an economy based on production and not taxation. We have abolished a lot of taxes and levies and going to abolish all import duties on raw materials and machinery imported into Ghana,” Dr. Bawumia said.
Hon Seetanah Lutchmeenaraidoo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade commended Ghana for her commitment to business development, and expressed hope that Ghanaian businesses would also invest in his country.
Mr Michael Okyere Baafi, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Board, who was part of a large Ghanaian business delegation at the meeting, was confident that the right building blocks had been put in place for rapid take off.
“The Ghana government has introduced the appropriate legislation and we are optimistic that we will soon see several Mauritian businesses counted among those taking up the challenge of the One District, One Factory Programme. We at Free Zones Board are ready to partner them and make their businesses successful.”
Vice President Bawumia was accompanied by Hon Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Hon Ibrahim Awal, Minister for Business Development; Hon Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Minister for Communications; Reginald Yoofi Grant, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and other government officials.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi /Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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You are still in the mood. Stop. The nation is not for him it is for Ghanaians. My friend that is not the right way to showcase the nation.
A journey of 1000 always begins with one step. Please what wee need is commitment
The one district one factory concept is very laudable, but first things must be first. We already have many factories that are closed or partially functioning. Why not government reopen those ones and makes sure that the others are functioning to their full capacity before embarking on new ones. If care is not taken will be building elephant projects.
Mr VP, is the raw material to feed these factories sustainable considering our unpredictable and insufficient rain fall? Do we have market for the products to be produced from these factories? Have you taken into consideration the potential competition of these products by our neighbours? There is also the potential of our neighbours entering into the markets. Do we also have sufficient storage facilities and efficient distribution channels? Packaging is also very important for the program, are we ready for this? We have a long way to go with this laudable programme.