'Patronize Made-In Ghana Goods'

Mrs Aniagyei launching the Ghana Made Festival

The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and other local manufacturers have called on Ghanaians to patronize locally produced goods and services.

Comfort Aniagyei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GhanaMade, who is also a member of the AGI, noted that the consumption of locally manufactured goods impacts directly on the manufacturing sector of the economy and would serve as a major drive for economic growth and prosperity.

“The rapid growth of China and India has been driven by their manufacturing sectors whose products in addition with other countries are sold in the country,” Mrs. Aniagyei emphasized.

Launching the annual “Ghana Made Festival” which is scheduled for next month, the CEO of GhanaMade said the manufacture of local goods would create more jobs, improve physical infrastructural, agriculture and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

Over the years, the manufacturing sector has showed slowly growth, a reason attributed to the trade liberalization and influx of cheap products.

The situation has forced some firms such as Akosombo Textiles Limited to cut production.  Companies including Unilever Ghana and Nestle Ghana have also complained about the influx of these cheap products from China and India.

Mrs. Aniagyei called on Government to improve the supply of raw materials and access to capital, among others, noting,  “Indeed, we use this forum to advise government to ensure that revenue that would  accrued from the emerging oil production are used to improve infrastructure, energy, communication, transportation, educational and health, among others.”

The Deputy Vice President of the AGI, Leticia Osafo-Addo, on her part, called for effective marketing of locally produced goods and ensure competitiveness of local products in order to attract more patronage.

The maiden Ghana Made Festival would start from November 23 to 26. The event is being organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry and AGI. According to AGI, the festival would bring many economic benefits to the country including the reduction of inflation and trade deficit, among others.

By Charles Nixon Yeboah & Christy Zinn