Ghana Beyond Aid requires deepened industrialisation
Speakers at a regional conference of the Association of Ghana Industries(AGI) have reiterated the need for deepened industrialisation if the Ghana Beyond Aid initiative will be realised.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Eric Kwakye Darfour, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Chief Executive Officer of the AGI, Mr Seth Twum Aboakwa, and the CEO of Joissam Ghana Ltd, Mr Samuel Apenteng, all alluded to the fact that the country had what it took to develop without handouts but currently lacked the drive from majority of its youth who were expected to champion Ghana's quest for rapid industrialisation.
Mr Darfour expressed regret that the country, even though was blessed with countless mineral resources, depended on donors for its development.
Donor dependency, he observed, had failed to yield the expected economic growth hence the government's Ghana Beyond Aid agenda.
He described the theme for the occasion: " Moving Ghana Beyond Aid through industrialisation as a means to contributing to the agenda of the government" as apt.
Mr Darfour advised the youth against engaging in galamsey activities, but rather channel their energies into agriculture, especially mechanised one to protect the environment and create employment and wealth.
Job creation
Dr Letsa observed that aid dependency had been the bane of the country's development.
" It cannot lead us to where we want to go, that is why the government has come up with a policy to build an economy that is not dependent on charity and handouts".
Dr Letsa said it was imperative that as stakeholders: “we pool our resources to drive home this agenda of industrialisation ".
Business environment
Mr Twum Aboakwa said a key element of the Ghana Beyond Aid agenda was a reliable industrial sector.
The AGI, he announced, had been monitoring the business environment and the indicators since the last three quarters which had shown marked improvements over the previous ones.
The Volta and Eastern Regional Chairman of the AGI, Mr Dela Gadzanku, commended the government for abolishing some taxes.
Mr Apenteng, who was the chairman for the occasion, called on the youth to pay more attention to industrialisation.
There were solidarity messages from the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC), Ghana Export Promotion Council and Ghana Free Zones Authority.