Mahama to set and chair export development council

Export is one of the determinants of economic growth rate of a country and also has the potential of creating opportunities to capture significant global market share.

It is in the light of this that the flag-bearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and former president of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama promised to lead the development of the export sector in the country when he wins the 2024 presidential polls. He said this in his New Year’s message to the people of Ghana on Wednesday, January 3, 2024.

President Mahama believes that his proposed 24-hour economic policy is going to set the stage for the upsurge of the export of products that would be produced under the 3-shift system.

“As President, I shall set up and personally chair an accelerated export development council to boost Ghana’s export drive especially under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Trade Liberalisation Scheme, and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement," he said.

“We shall provide improved security and public safety which will require massive recruitment into the security services and private security operations. My government will provide cheaper and more reliable electricity for those participating businesses based on a time of used-tariff system.

“Companies that sign up for the 24-hour economy will benefit from modern smart metres calibrated to charge a lesser tariff per Kilowatt-hour for power that is consumed during off peak hours," he added.

President Mahama also revealed that businesses that subscribe to his 24-hour economic policy will receive further tax incentives to reduce the cost of their operations and enhance their competitiveness.

He assured that financing support will be provided to strategic agro-processing factories and manufacturing companies through the Ghana Exim Bank to boost production for import substitution and for exports.

Not long ago, a friend told me that he wished H.E. John Mahama had not presented himself for the 2024 presidential election because he is afraid the former president may suffer due to the level at which the economy of the country has been ruined.

However, the snippets nuggets of information churned out by President Mahama on what he will be doing when voted for give me hope and joy that he knows what he is about, and he is well prepared to salvage the economy to bring relieve to the people of Ghana when elected as president on December 7, this year.

Anthony Obeng Afrane