Let’s revive the industrial sector

A country’s development, they say, depends on its level of industrialisation. Any nation that neglects its industrial sector becomes a burden onto itself and its people, as it will have to depend on the importation of essential goods at great cost to meet the needs of its populace.

That is why, in the immediate post-independence period, Ghana set out to build a number of industries to help in its rapid development. As a result of the resolve to speed up the country’s progress, the Tema industrial township was built, in addition to the creation of industrial enclaves in Accra and many parts of the country.

The state set up the Ghana Industrial Holding Corporation (GIHOC), with many subsidiaries in distillery, pharmaceutical, shoe manufacturing, cannery, etc

Many private individuals and companies also set up industries which provided hope for the future of the new independent country which was the envy of many a country on the continent and beyond.

Decades down the line, however, many of the manufacturing establishments, that provided the youth of the country with job opportunities everywhere, have become ghosts because the industries that were set up in industrial enclaves have now become centres for religious and trading activities, defeating the country’s attempts at import substitution.

The result is that Ghana now imports every conceivable item, from safety matches to toothpicks, a practice that has contributed, in no small measure, to the foreign exchange difficulties being faced by the country.

Yesterday, the Daily Graphic highlighted the current situation in the North Industrial Area in Accra. As noted by one of our readers, the North Industrial Area was not the only enclave that had suffered that fate, as the same is the case in the South, Ringway and East Industrial areas which now have nothing to show in terms of manufacturing.

This is not the first time that we are drawing attention to the poor state of industries in the country. Indeed, many of the officials in the industrial enclave and members of the public, with whom the Daily Graphic spoke, said they had no comment to make because the problems were known to the authorities.
Need we say more?

As a country, we need to halt this trend and the Daily Graphic believes that it is time for a blueprint from those responsible for the industrial well-being of the country to assure all and sundry that we are seeking to develop the country on a sustainable basis.

It is only when we do this that the dreams of our founding fathers can be realised.