Ghana’s Industrial Transformation Through One-Region-One-Park (1R1P) -The Alan Way

Economic industrialization will lead to the revamping of the economy.

This is the sure gateway for Ghanaians to embrace and enjoy the benefits of an industrial economy with quality jobs and higher incomes.

This vision and industrial policy put in place would continue to require a modified shift in national thinking and a policy order to affect the industrial vision of Ghana.

Ghana’s industrial policy has progressively gone through so many diversities from 2017 till recent times but the notable thing is that in all odds of the COVID-19 pandemic which was an attack on the economy.

Ghana is fighting her way through the record of growing her economy through industrialization and I have mastered the courage to always say that Hon. Alan Kyerematen is focused on the economic business and growth of Ghana’s economy.

Alan Kyerematen is more focused than ever as he leads Ghana's industrial transformation excellently with 104 factories in operation, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I take delight to announce that there is good news for Ghana as Alan Kyerematen has remained committed in his approach to reveal one of the most laudable initiatives as an economic strength to Ghana which is the; “One-Region-One Park” - (1R1P) initiative.

Under the One-Region-One-Park (1R1P) initiative, Industrial Parks and Special Economic Zones around the country are being set up to provide dedicated land with energy, water, and telecommunications facilities for the establishment or of manufacturing facilities.

My write-up focuses on Agric-processing parks under the 1R1P industrial initiative.

I make a case of how Wuhan has developed this model practically and reaped the benefits thereof and how Ghana can also reproduce the same.

WHAT ARE INDUSTRIAL PARKS;

Industrial parks are a synergy for new economic reforms and policies.

This concept has improved the industrial and business development of many East Asian Countries and Wuhan is a great example of this economic reform.

It is a great model for Ghana to diversify her economy on a national full-scale basis through agric-manufacturing industries.

This will massively increase the momentum of quality job creation and income growth that will benefit all citizens in Ghana as we embark on this great initiative of agric-processing parks.

WUHAN’S AGRICULTURAL PARK MODEL :

In March 2016, the city of Wuhan approved the establishment of Wuhan Jingkai Agricultural Development Investment Co, Ltd.

It’s was one of the eight (8) main battlefields of the economy in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (Hannan) or WHDZ.

The company has currently built national modern demonstration areas of urban agriculture and agricultural science and technology and rural tourism spots in Wuhan.

This company employs a State-owned enterprises model to manage the agricultural park and has built a 8-10 square kilometer core area of modern urban agriculture.

It has also built an investment and financing platform to raise funds and created a model of "platform plus small parks" to upgrade the infrastructure of "1+8" small parks so they can develop multiple forms of modern agriculture. This has created thousands of jobs in Wuhan.

The company has furthermore initiated a "platform plus plantation" method to advance extensive structural reform and integration of agricultural resources in Wuhan.

The company is involved in five agricultural industries: Sweet corn, Vegetables, Fruits, Aquaculture and Leisure agriculture.

Many well-known enterprises have settled and started doing business in areas controlled by the company.

GHANA’S AGRICULTURAL PARK MODEL :

To a similar degree, the policy initiative of agric-processing park(s) in Ghana under the 1R1P policy drafted by Alan Kyerematen is a masterpiece.

It establishes the solid foundations and gateway to accelerate our agricultural sector through processing, manufacturing, business development, job creation and food consumption to citizens.

This practical policy will boost private sector participation in the agric industrial drive.

Under 1R1P, there will be industrial parks in all the regional capitals and investors can come in and put up their factories or plants and commence production straight away.

This policy will accelerate Ghana's economic transformation and lead to increased investments and development in non-resource-based sectors.

This is to say that we have accepted such an economic reform as a country under the initiative of 1R1P which tends to cover agric-processing park(s).

WHY AGRIC-INDUSTRIALIZATION:

Agriculture contributes 19.7% of Ghana’s current GDP and accounts for over 30% of export earnings and serves as a major source of inputs to our manufacturing industry.

In 2019, 33.5% of the labor force in Ghana was absorbed by the agriculture sector.

Agriculture is the second largest employer in the economy but the smallest sector in comparison to services and industry.

As so, agriculture is viewed by many as a key factor in Ghana’s economic growth and development process.

Ghana’s agriculture is predominately smallholder farmers (80%), traditional and rain-fed.

Agriculture sector is usually divided into four (4) subsectors, which are crops (including cocoa), livestock, forestry, logging and fishing.

In view of the above, agric-processing park(s) is a major policy to industrialize our agric sector, create more jobs and provide food security.

Industrialization through the 1R1P model will lead to Ghana maximizing our natural resources like; lands, forests, water and other raw materials.

This can do us a great favor by establishing diverse avenues to put these resources into maximum relevance.

Over the last decade access to dedicated and litigation-free lands and other infrastructure required for industrial development with our natural resources has been a challenge.

This situation has put potential investors in a glum from venturing into the industrial sector and thereby limiting Ghana’s access to a sustainable amount of Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) in the process of job creation, poverty reduction and income.

Today the story has changed as Ghana has become the greatest hub for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in West Africa and one of the highest in Africa, as Alan Kyerematen leads this tremendous policy of agric-processing park(s) under the 1R1P Initiative.

CONCLUSION:

Ghana’s economic revolution through industrialization, is the best way we can fix our country, as we encourage these strong initiatives to strengthen our economy.

Wuhan is a practical example of how this agricultural park model was initiated and implemented.

It’s been a few years, but the progress has been so massive and evidential.

I believe we are in the best moments to increase our agricultural finished products and capitalize on the benefits of these emerging agric-processing park(s) to create a plethora of opportunities for fertilizer production, food security, stabilizing prices, to reduce food importation, constructing of warehouses for food storage as well as making our cedi stable through exports of these finished products.

Alan Kyerematen is reviving Ghana’s economy through the excellent delivery of his practical policies.

The industrial titan’s leadership of Ghana’s economic revolution through industrialization will lead to the rapid growth of our economy and create thousands of jobs.