President John Dramani Mahama has demonstrated his
call on Ghanaians to patronize made in Ghana products by flaunting a pair of
locally made shoes he was wearing to Members of Parliament.
Delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday, the president bemoaned the lack of appreciation of made-in-Ghana goods and the over-reliance on foreign imports.
According to him, local investors in the country should be assisted to produce locally-manufactured products on a large scale in order to halt the practice of Ghanaians depend on imports from outside the country.
Delivering his State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday, the president bemoaned the lack of appreciation of made-in-Ghana goods and the over-reliance on foreign imports.
According to him, local investors in the country should be assisted to produce locally-manufactured products on a large scale in order to halt the practice of Ghanaians depend on imports from outside the country.
Made In Ghana Campaign successfully Launched by President Mahama
President
John Dramani Mahama successfully launched the Made in Ghana Campaign on Monday
23rd November, 2015 at the Accra International Conference Centre, had Ghanatrade.gove.gh
reported.
At the
launch, the President asked indigenous companies to place premium on the
packaging, quality and delivery of their products to whip up the needed
interest among Ghanaians.
President John Mahama on Monday chided some
security agencies for procuring security boots from other countries, while
abandoning those produced by the Kumasi Shoe Factory.
“Although the Kumasi Shoe Factory is producing high
quality boots for the security services, most of them are still importing from
other countries, thereby disobeying my instructions,” he said.
President Mahama, who was addressing a meeting of
the Council of State in Accra, said as a result he had directed the Chief of
Staff to meet the security commanders to reinforce the directive...
Meanwhile, our parliament
where President John Dramani Mahama had showed off his locally manufactured shoes
as evidence to his campaign for patronage of Made in Ghana goods some time ago
is sheltering Made in China Fixtures and fittings.
Below is an article authored
by Adomonline’s Kwaku Nti.
Chinese goods in Ghana’s parliament: Is Parliament sabotaging Mahama’s Made-In-Ghana vision?
“I expect the President who has
championed the cause for the purchase of Made-in-Ghana goods to openly come out
and condemn parliament for working to sabotage his vision. He should demand
that it immediately put a hold on the importation of other items from the same
location or anywhere overseas. For how long, can we develop the expertise of
other countries? Let’s work to protect what we have.
I believe the President appreciates the
fact that failure to do this would have a serious dent on the Presidency as it
has had on parliament. It would just go into the annals of failed promises of
this administration. I await the verdict of your Excellency please.”
Not long ago, the Electricity Company
of Ghana imported dozens of prepaid electric meters and software to enable them
has an effective billing process.
ECG on its Official site at the FAQ
section answered a question”Can consumers afford economic tariffs and why can’ttariffs be adjusted gradually?”
saying
But many consumers have cried
foul over that system of billing.
Below are few stories on the
prepaid system
Botianor residents threaten demonstration over prepaid meters
Demonstrators Blast ECG over Unusual Charges
‘UsainBolt’ meter killing my printing business – Kwesi Pratt
Meanwhile the Public Utility Regulations Commission
has ordered the Electricity
Company of Ghana (ECG) to suspend the implementation of its new billing system
'until further notice.
This comes after the government ordered
the Commission to investigate anomalies which have resulted in
astronomical increases in electricity bills.
Following the last adjustment in
utility tariffs by the PURC in December 2015, many consumers have complained to
the PURC and government about irregularities in their electricity billing...
Coming back to the president’s Made in
Ghana Campaign, the 2012 flagbearer of the Progressive People’s Party (PPP) Dr
Papa Kwesi Nduom is questioning President Mahama’s commitment to his much
talked about ‘Made in Ghana’ campaign.
From all these above publications, I have
arrived at asking President John Dramani Mahama these questions.
I HAVE FEW
QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESIDENT AND OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTAL HEADS.
1. HAVE WE
GOTTEN WHAT ER EXPECTED FROM THE “BUY MADE IN GHANA CAMPAIGN” ? 2. WHY DIDN'T ECG LET GHANAIAN COMPUTER SCIENCE GRADUATE DESIGN THE SOFTWARE FOR THEM?
3. WHY DIDN’T ECG/GRIDCO TRAIN THE ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATES ON HOW TO MANUFACTURE METERS SO THEY MAY BE ABLE TO PRODUCE THE STANDARD WANTED?
4. IS IT BECAUSE SOME GHOST SOMEWHERE WILL NOT GET ‘AFFAIRS’ (ABOSSEY OKAI TERM, MEANS COMMISSION)?
5. IS IT BECAUSE WE DO NOT TRUST OUR OWN PEOPLE?
6. IF WE DON’T BELIEVE IN OUR OWN PEOPLE, THEN WHY SHOULD WE TRAIN THEM?
7. EVEN THOSE THAT GHANA LOOKS UNTO BELIEVES IN US.
8. DO WE EXPECT GHOSTS TO BELIEVE IN OUR OWN PEOPLE???
9. WHAT WORK SHOULD OUR SOFTWARE ENGINEERS AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS DO?
MY OBSERVATION:
I THINK THE “MADE IN GHANA CAMPAIGN” IS A MIRAGE, WE ONLY SEES IT FAR AHEAD BUT WE DO NOT MEET IT.
IN FACT, WE HAVE GREATER TASK AHEAD.
OH GHANA, MY MOTHERLAND. I CAN’T STOP WEEPING FOR MY COUNTRY
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NANA SEFA HWENEBOBO, CONCERNED CITIZEN
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