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Akufo-Addo opens expanded GB Foods factory in Tema
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has yesterday, Tuesday, 14th march 2023, commissioned the expanded GB Foods Factory in Tema with the pledge to continue unleashing the innovative, entrepreneurial instincts of the Ghanaian private sector to drive rapid growth and create jobs.
According to the President, it has always remained the avowed aim of his government to unlock the full potential of the private sector and the Ghanaian sense of enterprise to create jobs and prosperity for all Ghanaians, and to position Ghana as a preferred investment destination.
President Akufo-Addo maintained that, it is therefore for this reason that “the government I lead is a natural cheerleader for the private sector, and it is my sincere wish that GB Foods, and, indeed, the Ghanaian private sector will continue to invest further in Ghana. Cascading investments in our economy is the most effective way to expand and strengthen it in order to create the many jobs our young people so ardently want. It will happen, and soon.”
Whilst acknowledging the limited ability of government to create jobs on its own, President Akufo-Addo noted, “it is for this reason that, when we assumed office in 2017, my government put in place measures to reduce the cost of doing business and improve the business environment.”
He explained that, Ghana had been “modestly successful in making the Ghanaian economy not only one of the most business-friendly economies in Africa, but also one of the fastest growing economies in the world between 2017 and 2020, averaging 7% GDP annual rates of growth, up from the 3.4% rate we inherited in 2016, the lowest in two (2) decades.”
He continued that, “in spite of upheavals on the global economic terrain, our goal remains constant – and that is to unleash the innovative and entrepreneurial instincts of the Ghanaian private sector to drive rapid growth and job creation. I am confident that we will realise this important goal.”
The president was excited about the prospect the expansion of GB Foods will influence the company’s decisions “not only to source domestically its raw material base, but also to venture into the establishment of two industrial farmlands for the processing of tomato concentrate” and hoped that “many more companies would commit to such a development.”
“The government I lead is a natural cheerleader for the private sector, and it is my sincere wish that GB Foods, and, indeed, the Ghanaian private sector will continue to invest further in Ghana. Cascading investments in our economy is the most effective way to expand and strengthen it in order to create the many jobs our young people so ardently want. It will happen, and soon,” he indicated.
The government is set to lay before Parliament today, November 21, a Constitutional Instrument (C.I) seeking to restrict the importation of selected strategic products into the country.
The items, numbering over 20, will include rice, tripe (popularly called “yemuadie” in Ghana), and diapers.
The government said the move is part of efforts to enhance local production.
Speaking during a press briefing in Parliament, the Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T Hammond said, “Stomach of animals, bladder and the chunk of intestines (yemuadie), the country had had to put in an amount of about $164 million towards the importation of these items. We are taking steps to ensure that in terms of rice, there’s no poverty of rice in the country.”
He emphasized, “By these restrictions, we are not going to ensure that there’s no food in the country at all; that is not the point at all. There have to be some efforts by the government to ensure that we go back to Acheampong’s operation feed yourself. There are about 22 items on the list, one of them, I think, is diapers.”
He announced the introduction of the Ghana Standards Authority Regulations 2023, which also seeks to streamline the manufacturing of cement to ensure competitive pricing.
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says former President John Dramani Mahama does not understand the 24-hour economy policy he is proposing.
According to the Vice President, that policy is already being implemented in the country, as hospitals, fuel companies, among others, operate a 24-hour system.
Dr. Bawumia, therefore, urged Ghanaians to ignore Mahama during the 2024 polls since he has nothing new to offer and vote for the New Patriotic Party.
“John Mahama says he has a new idea. What is the idea? He says he wants a 24-hour economy. He doesn’t even understand that policy. Today in Ghana, our hospitals work 24 hours, our electricity company works 24 hours, our water company works 24 hours, our fuel stations work 24 hours, and many chop bars work 24 hours. Today because of digitalisation, you can transfer money 24 hours, you can receive money 24 hours… So he doesn’t understand his own policy. It doesn’t make sense.”
“So I want you to vote for me in 2024 because I will bring a new vision, I will bring a new policy. Mahama is the past, Dr Bawumia is the future. If John Mahama was there, we would say we have a dumsor economy, you can’t have a 24-hour economy in dumsor. So, you want to vote for Dr Bawumia in 2024, we will take the country to new heights,” Dr Bawumia stated.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has accused the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of pressuring the House to pass a number of bills under a certificate of urgency.
Mr. Bagbin cited bills such as the Affirmative Action Bill, which is allegedly being pushed by the IMF as part of the conditionality for the balance of the $3 billion credit facility for Ghana.
Speaking at the Speaker’s Breakfast Meeting on Monday, Alban Bagbin insisted that the House will not be coerced by the IMF to pass the bill.
“Even in this budget, you can see the arm of the IMF in a lot of provisions in the budget. A critical bill like the Affirmative Action Gender Equality Bill has come to Parliament under a certificate of urgency. Please, it won’t happen; we won’t pass it under a certificate of urgency.”
“There are critical stakeholders we must consult and make sure we go together. We will not be dictated by the IMF; that one, you can be assured. This is a very critical bill that the IMF should know that we need the buy-in of the stakeholders to be able to implement it,” Alban Bagbin said.
The Affirmative Action Bill, when passed into law, would seek to expunge the historically low representation of women in decision-making spaces and promote democracy and development through all-inclusive participation.
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