Forgive My Ignorance – Part One.

The downturn in the global economy as a consequence of geopolitical instability such as the crisis in the Middle East (Syria and Iraq), Ukraine or as a result of the activities of Bokko Harram and currently, the Ebola pandemic in West Africa, have had a short and long-term effects on most economies, including that of Ghana.

But the multiple and complex challenges in Ghana’s economy which has experienced a subdued-growth in recent times, goes beyond geopolitical instability and therefore calls for the strengthening and re-engineering of our local policies.

Ghana is blessed with so many natural resources to be where we are now. Mention one natural resource Ghana doesn’t have, and I will tell you it’s only a matter of time. And for me, we don’t even need to discover any more natural resources than we currently have; to be able to build a resilient economy that would invariably make us become truly independent. All we need to do is to focus on those natural resources we have competitive advantage over, and build or learn to build the technologies needed to produce them both in quality and in quantity for export. There is no magic wand to rake in the foreign exchange we so badly need, except through hard work and innovative thinking.

Take salt – referred to as “White Gold” for example – a multi-billion dollar resource. There are millions of tons of salt deposits in areas like the Keta lagoon, the Songhor Lagoon, the Densu Delta, Nyanya and the Oyibi Lagoon. And the good thing is; salt deposits are inexhaustible – salt is in fact, a renewable natural resource of immeasurable economic benefits.

Ghana and Senegal are the leading salt-producing countries in West Africa, producing a total of 350,000 tons of salt per annum. This is disappointingly-awful, considering the fact that the ECOWAS sub-region alone requires industrial salt, estimated at over three million tons per annum.

Meanwhile, research shows that, Ghana has the potential to produce more than two million tons of industrial salt per annum. Impliedly, Ghana alone has the capacity to supply two thirds of the total industrial salt needed by the sub-region when the proper infrastructure is put in place. This commodity alone, if well explored, could bring in the necessary foreign exchange Ghana so badly needs. But unfortunately, we have by lack of proper policy, continued to produce only 250,000 tons per annum; representing a meager 10% of our total capacity. Is it the case that we are unaware of the potential of this valuable commodity God has bequeathed to us, or we are simply deficient in the kind of ideas we need to develop it?

Why has the State not come to the realization that a new salt policy which will nib in the bud, the perennial land acquisition problems, that have over the years, hindered the large scale production of industrial salt is needed? The kind of policy that will give a clear direction as to how the processes of acquiring land that contain salt deposits be acquired – taking into consideration, both the needs of the state and that of the community. This will effectively eliminate the persistent litigations associated with Chiefs and people of salt producing areas on one side and investors on the other.

Once this is done, the state will then encourage and support local investors/entrepreneurs with interests in salt production, to take up the challenge of large-scale production of salt. On the other hand, and for purposes of speed and inexperience, we can turn to the United States of America; which is the world’s leading producer of salt for assistance. America has developed a state-of-the-art salt harvester with the capacity of collecting large quantities of salt in a relatively short time. All we need to do is to sponsor some Ghanaians to the States, with the aim of going to learn the art and technology of producing industrial salt in large quantities, to feed the West African market. Our ability to do this will even make it a disincentive for Nigeria; for example, to continue importing salt from Brazil.

The other natural resource to place emphasis on is clay. There are huge deposits of both red and white clay in so many places in Ghana, including Ashanti, Volta, Western and Eastern Regions.

Clays are perhaps the oldest materials from which humans have produced various artifacts. In fact, research shows that the making of fired bricks is mankind’s second earliest industry after agriculture.

Clay has been indispensible in both architecture and industry – as a building material, it is used in the form of brick, either sun-dried (adobe) or fired. It must be established that maintenance cost of burnt- clay-brick houses is low because they have natural and interminable colours, and do not require painting. Research also shows that brick buildings are stronger than those built with cement. And since bricks do not burn, they reduce the possibility of catching fire when used for buildings.

Clays are also of great industrial importance, e.g., in the manufacture of tile for wall and floor coverings, of porcelain, and earthenware, and of pipe for drainage and sewage. Other uses are in the paper, ceramics, plastics, and rubber industries.

This industry has so much potential that, when tapped and developed, could create thousands of jobs for the teaming unemployed youth in this country. Ghana is endowed with enormous amount of clay to revolutionize and sustain a major brick and tile industry; and the massive production and use of bricks and tiles would reduce import bills on cement and cement products.

We must therefore as a matter of urgency, team up on a Public-Private Partnership basis, especially with companies from China – who are masters of the ceramic industry, to establish large production plants; to produce and export to the international market. But this must be done alongside assisting our local entrepreneurs to obtain concession on the lands that have clay deposits. My thinking is that the state must empower local entrepreneurs to establish factories that would specialize in the production of bricks for our local market.

To this end, government must make a decision to use only locally-produced bricks for all housing and any other building projects – to create a ready market for the brick industry in Ghana to grow. This will build the capacity of the local brick industry, to compete on the international market.

Together we must look to design solutions – from education and entrepreneurship to natiomal mobilization that will reinvigorate and help restore areas facing economic decline and unemployment. Global economies have now become more interconnected, and we cannot afford to be left behind. We have a unique opportunity to harness all the brains we can, to bring vibrancy and prosperity to our people.

Our focus must henceforth be on locally-concerted and coherent policy-actions that will target home-grown solutions—particularly towards job creation and self-reliance. This is the only way to mitigate the spillover effects emanating from the global economic downturn.

GOD BLESS GHANA.
Gab Norgah – Ghana Society of the Physically Challenged (New Juaben, Koforidua).

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