The one-district-one-factory programme by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will make local private sector participation a priority, Minister of Trade, Alan Kyerematen, has said.
According to him, “the focus is on supporting local private sector operators to invest in these districts”.
Mr Kyerematen was responding to calls by the Private Enterprise Federation (PEF) which entreated government to ensure majority interest for local ownership in the one-district-one-factory programme.
PEF CEO Nana Osei Bonsu has said “51 per cent of the ownership structure should go to Ghanaians”.
Mr Bonsu, who was speaking in an interview with Moro Awudu on Class91.3FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Tuesday, March 28, stressed that the raw materials used by the firms should be from “local sources”.
In addition, he wants “the markets to be here (Ghana) or overseas to influence export”.
Mr Kyerematen, who was speaking at a symposium on the 2017 budget statement and economic policy of the government of Ghana organised by the PEF and GIMPA in Accra on Wednesday 29 March, emphasised: “Government’s interest is to promote local private sector participation in these programmes, so there should be no doubt about that particularly if these are district initiatives.
“One will expect that the emphasis is to encourage local entrepreneurs to invest in their own districts, so that is where focus is. But if for purposes of enhancing your own capital base you would like to have a joint venture partner, then we can support you to attract additional capital.”
Source:Ghana/AccraFM.com
