One-district, one-factory policy must work

News that the one-district, one-factory (ODOF) policy of the government has received expressions of interest from 150 local and foreign investors is welcome and refreshing.

This is particularly so because factories are about jobs and economic transformation, and irrespective of who is promoting them, there must be mass support for their success.

The Daily Graphic notes that the effort to build a factory in each district did not start today. Indeed, under his leadership at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and PSIs in the erstwhile Kufuor administration, Mr Alan Kyerematen initiated a similar policy to drive the establishment of three commercially viable factories in the then 110 metropolises, municipalities and districts in 2004.

The criteria under the ODOF policy are an enhancement of the 2004/2005 industrialisation policy which, at the time, got all the districts identifying and profiling industrial opportunities in their areas.

We say the expressions of interest from the private sector are refreshing because in the previous editions, the reason cited for the false start was apathy on the part of the private sector which, like today, was expected to lead, while the government facilitated the programmes and created the conducive environment and legal regulatory regimes to support it.

Thus we are happy that a large number of investors have shown interest, especially from advanced countries in Europe, the United States and some emerging economies.

The interest has also been coming from the domestic financial services sector; that is, the likes of Universal Merchant Bank, which has devoted $100 million, and the GCB Bank which has earmarked GH¢1 billion, both to support viable businesses under the policy.

While it is hearty about the development, the Daily Graphic advises that the environment is prepared for the survival and sustainability of the factories.

Factories thrive with quality human resource, particularly middle-level workers who are mostly those equipped with technical and vocational skills.

Where we sit, complaints from owners of the few factories left in the country reach us every now and then about the low calibre of skilled workers in their establishments. It is not surprising, therefore, that the industrial zones the country used to have are fast becoming warehouses and auditoriums for worshippers.

The sad reality is that we have undermined and denigrated our vocational and technical education system so much that the average Ghanaian seeks to pursue irrelevant courses in the humanities when his passion, competency and talent could have been honed better with vocational or technical education.

This sad narrative has, unfortunately, gone beyond the factories to the communities where artisans are now being imported from neighbouring Togo and Cote d’Ivoire to carry out masonry, plumbing, electrical and carpentry works across the country.

The Daily Graphic, therefore, calls on the Ministry of Trade and Industry, which is spearheading the flagship ODOF policy, to liaise with the relevant ministries and development partners to quickly revive vocational and technical education and skills training by master craftmen in the country to serve as the bedrock for the mass industrialisation drive.

We also urge the government to emphasise reviving distressed but viable factories, such as the textile companies, the meat, tomatoes, tyre, glass and matches factories which could immediately help the country cut back on its import bill as we grow what we eat, eat what we can and can what we can’t eat. That should be the foundation on which the ODOF should sit.