W/R coys boycott made in Ghana goods... cite unreliable supply and high cost as reason

Despite the efforts being made by the government to sentitize Ghanaians to patronize 'Made in Ghana goods', some of the big companies operating in the Western region have told The Chronicle that they can't buy local raw materials for their production because they are too expensive.

Even food items such as vegetables are being imported because of their claims that the supply of the local ones are not reliable.

The General Manager of Takoradi Flour Mills, Mr. Thierry Loupiac, for instance told The Chronicle that his company imports garments being used as sacks for flour from the Chinese market, because it is cheaper than those on the local market.

Loupiac insisted that his company would always buy from the Chinese market despite the fact that he is creating jobs in China and unemployment in Ghana, since it helps the management to cut down the cost of production.

The General Manager also revealed that Takoradi Flour Mill Company buys over 5000 pieces of garment from China quarterly.

The Chinese contractor that constructed the Sekondi Sports Stadium also imported almost everything from his home country - China. These are drinking water, food items, Nails, wood and even rubber plastics.

This reporter also gathered that most of the mining companies operating in the region import almost all their consumables though some of them ccan be obtained from the local market.

The new oil exploration and drilling companies have also followed the footsteps of the aforementioned companies by importing everything including the food that they eat.

A management member of Tullow oil told The Chronicle that they have been importing vegetables from Ivory Coast and other foreign companies, not because they hate Ghanaian goods, but rather the supply which is unreliasble. According to the management member they would be laughing at the wrong side of their teeth if they dare give such contracts to Ghanaians.

Checks conducted by the The Chronicle revealed that though Tullow Oil, unlike Takoradi Flour Mills, has not complained about the high price of the local products, there is no big time food crop farmer in the region to produce products and supply them to the oil giants.

Many of the small scale food growers interviewed by this reporter however alleged that they are unable to meet demand because of the challenges they are facing.

They believe they could help government to reduce poverty and create employment if their farming activity is supported fully by managers of the country's economy. Mr. Nat Panyin, spokesperson of the Apremdo community in an interview with The Chronicle after a tour of a number farms in the area identified the lack of a strategic dam located in the area to help the farmers during dry season to improve the urban farming.

He also identified the non availability of subsidized fertilizers, soft loans and transportation cost among others as the bane that continued to impede the progress of the urban farming.

Many traders in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis have also expressed similar concerns and bemoaned the lack of government support to indigenous small companies capable of creating jobs.

They cited Unique Trust financial services and Zoom Lion Ghana Limited among other indigenous organizations in the country that have contributed significantly into reducing poverty and unemployment in the country.