The 24th National Awards for Exports Achievement for 2013 has been launched with a call on the public to patronise made-in-Ghana goods to reduce the country’s dependence on imported products.
A Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, who made the call, said, “Most of the goods imported onto our market are also produced here, but we prefer the imported ones and that is not helping the economy at all.”
He said the government would ensure that products that could be produced locally were not imported in order to reduce the dependence on other countries, as a tool to revamp the economy in the long term.
Awards
The awards, an initiative of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), acknowledge and encourage outstanding achievement in the non-traditional export (NTE) sector.
They are to recognise the contribution of exporters in the sector to the economy, to commend them for exporting quality products and for breaking new grounds.
The awards also aim to encourage higher levels of performance by exporters, to sustain their interest in the trade, and to raise and sustain export consciousness among Ghanaians in general.
They are also aimed at encouraging exportation as a tool to revamp the economy.
Slated for October 17, 2014, categories outlined for awards include special honorary, gold, platinum, silver, most diversified exporter, export services, woman exporter of the year and exporter of the year.
Import dependent
Mr Muhammed identified the importation of too many foreign goods as a major challenge to the economy.
He said the economy could regain stability if priority was given to exportation rather than the country’s current dependency on imported goods.
He explained that the more an economy depended on imports, the more demand was placed on the major trading currencies resulting in the depreciation of the local currency.
“Simple business principles indicate that the higher the demand the higher the prices,” and, therefore, if we exported more there would be less demand for the forex resulting in economic stability, Mr Muhammed added.
Recognition
The Chief Executive Officer of the GEPA, Mr Gideon Quarcoo, said the sector was contributing so much to the growth of the economy and deserved national recognition.
He said such recognition would encourage entrepreneurship and also help reduce importation to improve the economy.
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