Ghana, the world’s second largest producer of cocoa and gold, lost a massive $1.3 billion in export revenues last year as a result of the decline in prices of the two commodities on the international market. During the same period, the West African country spent a total of $1.5 billion on the importation of consumables.
As of 2013, Ghana’s import bill continued to rise to $17 billion, while the country’s debt to GDP ratio currently stands at 52 per cent, President John Dramani Mahama disclosed in his State of the Nation address in Accra.
A breakdown of products imported included rice, sugar, wheat, tomato products, frozen fish, poultry and vegetable cooking oil. He explained that institutions such as the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Ghana Gas Company, Volta River Authority (VRA), the Ghana Airport Company and Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) will be able to finance their investments through the fund without burdening the public debt stock.
Revamping local industries
President Mahama reiterated the need to add value to raw materials to increase exports and reduce the importation of cocoa products and gold, amongst others.
“We must add value to our cocoa by increasing domestic processing. We must refine our gold before export. We must pursue Nkrumah’s dream of an integrated bauxite and aluminium industry and halt the export of raw bauxite. We must revamp Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), Bulk Oil Storage and Transport (BOST), Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), Tema Shipyard and Dry Dock and the many other strategic industries that serve as extra pillars for our economy,” he said.
To this end, he has tasked the Minister of Trade and Industry to request that the Export Development and Agriculture Development Fund be extended to assist local investors who will in turn increase their production of consumables such as poultry, rice, tomatoes, vegetable oil and fish. He noted that the financing for the construction of a new sugar processing plant in Komenda had been finalized and discussions are in place with a private investor for the construction of another sugar processing plant in Savelugu in the Northern Region to reduce the importation of sugar.
“I have tasked the minister to speak with operators of flour mills and introduce incentives for the production of composite flour that incorporate more of local flour from products such as cassava, maize and sorghum as was done in the brewery industry,” he added.
President Mahama said a joint venture agreement between TOR and Petrol Saudi was being finalized to revamp the operation of the oil refinery to reduce the huge amount of foreign exchange spent on the importation of finished petroleum products.
Made in Ghana campaign
President Mahama stressed the need to encourage the production and patronage of made in Ghana goods to reduce expenditure on the importation of goods and services. According to him, he has tasked the COCOBOD to enter into a strategic partnership to produce jute sacks in Ghana by importing the jute fibre and sewing of the jute sacks locally.
“When this is achieved, COCOBOD will be required to halt the importation of jute sacks for cocoa and buy all its sacks locally,” he said.
He further noted that he has requested the board and management of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to encourage the local manufacture of electrical products such as cable, transformers and meters by purchasing from local producers who meet their quality standard
“Mr. Speaker, we will this year launch a broad campaign to encourage Ghanaians to buy made in Ghana goods. Any import items we buy as Ghanaians constitute an export of jobs in this country, especially in respect of the items for which we have comparative advantage to produce,” he noted.
