“For us to industrialise Ghana beyond aid, it is imperative for us to organise our industries along industrial value chain which unravels the linkages and ensure goods or products are produced according to the needs of the market,” the President of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Nana Appiagyei Dankawoso I said at a forum on August 14 in Accra.

He said it was crucial for the government to fast-track the economic development of the country with a special focus on industrialisation.

He explained that with visibility along the value chain,local businesses, as well as international partners will naturally be compelled to invest in the country.

“This certainly holds the key to sustain our industrialisation agenda with its attendant benefits such as massive employment, production of high quality of goods, and efficiency in the system.”

Nana Dankawoso I said, “We acknowledge government’s commitment to improve the business environment by undertaking business regulatory reforms and holding policy dialogues with stakeholders.”

“It is our expectation that this act of good faith will be cherished and continued and the government as well will hasten to engage the private sector when it is formulating or implementing policies, plans or programmes for our mutual benefit,” he noted.

It may be obvious that the “One-District, One-Factory” initiative and the “stimulus package” have taken the centre stage amongst the various projects of the government and for one reason or another had caught the attention of the public and industry players.

He said it was also interesting to note that there were many programmes and projects designed by the government to facilitate trading across borders and help create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

Private sector readiness

The president expressed preparedness of the private sector to support the government’s district industrialisation programme “One-District, One-Factory” initiative.

“We from the private sector are ready and fully prepared to take advantage of the various opportunities that these projects offer us and it is our fervent belief and hope that the time to industrialise our country is now,” he said.

“As the government is fulfilling its part, we in the private sector will also fulfill our part by taking advantage and making Ghana the industrial hub of West Africa.”

According to him, they welcome wholly the preparedness of the government to build industrial parks across the country to help house different industries.

He stressed that the private sector was also optimistic the government would soon come out with special electricity and water tariffs, as well as tax exemptions which industries have been yearning for towards improving their competitiveness.

The district industrialisation programme

The ‘One-District One-Factory’ initiative was one of the campaign promises made by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The President’s agenda recognises the role that district industrial development plays and values the role of agriculture and natural resources, as well as the vast potential of rural people as proxies of industrial transformation, employment and wealth creation.

To do this, therefore, the policy is targeted at the district level so that every local government area would be on its way to a certain level of self-sustainability in providing opportunities for its inhabitants.

The benefit of a factory in every district in particular, as well as additional ones in metropolitan and municipal areas which typically already have one, will add greatly and effectively to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and all positive growth indicators.