Economy must reflect taste for local products — Prez
President John Mahama has called for the transformation of the structure of the Ghanaian economy to reflect a taste for local products.
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"The basic structure of our economy has not changed from colonial times. The Gold Coast was designed by the colonial masters to be an exporter of raw materials and importer of finished goods. That was what served their needs and purposes," he said.
Unfortunately, he said, even though after independence Dr Kwame Nkrumah had sought to break the tradition through the establishment of many state-owned industries to produce for the local and international markets, the status quo continued to hold sway.
The President, who was delivering the State of the Nation Address to Parliament, consequently called for a change.
Citing himself as one addicted to Ghanaian products, he said, "As I stand here, I am wearing a pair of locally made shoes which are good enough to compare with the best in the world."
Agriculture
Mr Mahama said work on a new sugar factory at Komenda in the Central Region was to begin this year.
He said the project would be supported with an irrigation scheme for high-yield sugarcane plantations to feed the factory.
Expatiating on the agricultural sector in his address, Mr Mahama said even though the sector was no longer the number one contributor to GDP, it constituted a key priority in the government's activities.
It was, therefore, not surprising that the country 's vision to ensure food security had been achieved, he said.
He said the country had achieved surplus in its traditional staples, including cassava, yam, plantain and maize.
He said despite the huge spending on rice imports, local rice production had witnessed an appreciable increase of about 60 per cent.
"This has necessitated the establishment by the private sector of two new rice processing factories at Nyankpala in the Northern Region and Sogakope in the Volta Region," he said, adding that another factory had been earmarked for Asutuare in the Greater Accra Region.
Subsidies
President Mahama said subsidies on fertilizer and improved seeds had been maintained.
"Fertilizer subsidy had increase from 50,000 metric tonnes in 2008 when it was initiated to 150,000 metric tonnes in 2013. This year, the subsidy is expected to cover a volume of 180,000 metric tonnes," he said.
In line with efforts to strengthen agriculture further, the President invited the private sector to partner the government to undertake ventures that would be sustainable.
Livestock
The government, he said, was entering into partnership with the private sector in irrigation development.
"Collaboration is underway to deliver almost 30,000 hectares of irrigated land under the Sissili-Kulpawn project in the West Mamprusi area of the Northern Region. Also, environmental impact assessment studies are underway for a combined irrigation, flood control and hydroelectric power station at Pwalugu in Upper East Region," he said.
Challenges
President Mahama mentioned some of the challenges in the agricultural sector as access to credit, inadequate mechanised equipment for large-scale commercial farming and non-availability of sufficient irrigated lands and said the government was determined to a overcome them with the support of the private sector.
Gender, children and social protection
President Mahama said the quest to create an all-inclusive society would not be possible if the disadvantaged were not taken care of.
Consequently, the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) programme was being improved to take care of more beneficiaries, he said.
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"This year, the government plans to increase the beneficiary families from 74,000 to 100,000. In 2015, the number will increase to 150,000, " he said.