Actualising the made-In-Ghana mantra
On Tuesday, the Vice-President, Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, took delivery of two Kantanka Onantefuo 4X4 vehicles to add to the fleet of vehicles at the Presidency.
Advertisement
A third vehicle is expected to be delivered in due course.
The action is in fulfilment of the government’s pledge to support the Kantanka Automobile Company to thrive and give meaning to the campaign for Ghanaians to patronise locally manufactured products.
Although long overdue, the move can only be described as laudable and refreshing. It is also a sign of the commitment of the government to actualise its made-in-Ghana mantra which has been rejuvenated by the present Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.
At the mention of Mercedes Benz, reference is made to Germany, just as Hyundai is to Korea, Toyota to Japan, among many other vehicles.
These companies, according to history, had reached their present levels because of the massive support they received from their governments.
In Africa, MTN is associated with South Africa, and the national support for that company over the years is also clear testament to the resolve of South Africans and their government to ensure that the company grows to become a global brand.
The support is also intended to create jobs for people, while helping to build positive brand images for the countries mentioned.
A couple of weeks ago, the Cocoa Processing Factory announced its intention to source sugar from the Komenda Sugar Factory. This decision will not only help the sugar factory market its produce but also grow to provide more job opportunities for the people, while reducing the ever bloating government import bill.
The Daily Graphic can recall the move made by a former Trade and Industry Minister, Mr Alan Kyerematen, whose move to get Ghanaians to put on made-in-Ghana clothes has caught on well.
Today, Friday Wear has become very common, while women are sewing local prints for all functions. Unfortunately, this has not really impacted on the textile companies in the country, meaning that action has been slow and that more must be done to get people to patronise local products.
We are of the view that the government, as the biggest spender, stands the greatest chance of helping local companies to stand on their feet to provide jobs for the people and also pay more taxes to help grow state finances to undertake more development projects.
Per international laws on trade, it will not be acceptable for the government to stop the importation of goods. What can be done is for it to actualise its import-substitution policy by encouraging local companies to produce the same products imported into the country for the people.
With this commitment shown as far as the purchase of the Kantanka vehicles is concerned, the Daily Graphic entreats the government to consider buying in bulk some other Ghanaian products, such as rice for government schools and the prisons to help reduce the huge import bill on rice.
If the government takes the lead, Ghanaians will be compelled to emulate it and the economy will benefit for the good of all.
Local industries hold the key to job and wealth creation. It will not be easy to get local companies to compete with foreign companies in a globalised world, but the journey to self-sufficiency can begin with our resolve to patronise made-in-Ghana products.
