#Budget2023: Gov't discussing with Graphic to produce paper locally
Enoch Darfah Frimpong 3 minutes read
The government has initiated discussions with the Graphic Communications Group Limited (GCGL) to explore the feasibility of producing paper locally using the by-products of the cultivated rice in the Economic Enclave at Asutuare as raw material.
It is envisaged that the imports of paper will be replaced, and more jobs created.
The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta announced this when he presented the 2023 Budget Statement and the Economic Policy of the Government in Parliament on Thursday (November 24, 2022).
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He said the move was part of the GhanaCARES “Obaatan pa” Programme.
Below is what the Minister said about the GhanaCares programme.
GhanaCARES “Obaatan pa” Programme
Mr. Speaker, it has been two years since the launch of the GhanaCARES programme to mitigate the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy. Significant achievement has been made with the implementation of agreed activities despite the current macroeconomic challenges.
Mr. Speaker, the high food prices and pressures on the local currency validates the current focus of the GhanaCARES Programme to bolster the productive and export capacity of the private sector. To this end, an Economic Enclave project with focus on providing support for the cultivation of up to 110,000 acres of land in the Greater Accra, Ashanti, Central, Savannah and Oti Regions is being pursued.
Mr. Speaker, this initiative which seeks to expand our production and productivity in rice, tomato, maize, vegetables and poultry is being led and coordinated by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) in collaboration with other Government institutions such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Ministry of Energy, Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), 48 Engineers Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) under the Ministry of Defence, the National Entrepreneurial and Innovation Programme (NEIP) and the National Service Secretariat (NSS).
Mr. Speaker, consistent with the private sector-led approach, the programme will engage interested private sector actors to expand and agricultural production and processing in the Asutuare-Tsopoli Economic Enclave area based on a Partnership Framework. The same approach will be adopted for the lands secured in the Ashanti, Central, Savannah and Oti regions.
Mr. Speaker, we have also initiated discussions with the Graphic Communications Group Limited to explore the feasibility of producing paper locally using the by-products of the cultivated rice in the Economic Enclave at Asutuare as raw material. It is envisaged that the imports of paper will be replaced, and more jobs created.
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the Enclave Project, GhanaCARES programme in 2023 will continue to offer catalytic support in the following targeted areas. To this end, the programme will:
- work with DBG to provide funding to interested and targeted farmers
- support MoFA to adopt and deploy the farmer registration database for the farmer input subsidy programme to enhance efficiency
- support the Ministry of Communication and Digitalisation (MoCD) to establish a tech hub to improve knowledge in Technology and innovation by the youth, in collaboration with the University of Ghana;
- ensure the operationalisation of the Foundry under a sustainable private sector management framework;
- provide interest rate subsidies and direct financing; including supporting prioritised sectors in the rural economy through the ARB Apex Bank and its network of banks as agreed under the AfDB-supported Post-COVID Skills and Productivity Enhancement Project.
Writer's email: enoch.frimpong@graphic.com.gh