The Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten has expressed President Akufo-Addo and the incumbent government’s intent to industrialize the country via stimulating job creation within the public sector.
Speaking at the commissioning of two business resource centres at Agona Swedru and Assin Fosu in the Central Region, Mr. Kyerematen revealed that, the launch of the Business Resource Centres (BRC) nationwide will help enhance the youth with needed capacity, while also aiding promising talents and boost small-scale businesses.
“There is a limit to the number of jobs that the public sector can create. Ghana’s labour force stands at 12 million and the public sector has been able to create only 700,000 jobs. But with the establishment of the business resource centres across the country, individuals with business ideas can maximize those ideas.
“President Akufo-Addo is committed to making sure that the country is industrialized under his leadership. In a developing country like ours, there should be some form of support for the private sector and this should not only be based in Accra, the reason for the establishment of the business resource centres in the districts to support ideas”.
The Trades Minister further disclosed that, some four districts in the Central Region have benefited from the 67 business resource centres being built across the country.
“Four districts in the Central Region have benefited from the Business Resource centers which have been built in 67 districts across the country.”
On his part, the National Director for Rural Enterprises Programme, Kwasi Arthur-Antwi stressed that, the Business Resource Centers in Agona Swedru and Assin Fosu have been fully furnished and designed to support the initiative.
Mr. Arthur-Antwi also stated funding for which the project is dependent was sourced from the African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
“Nana chairman the total cost of each BRC totals about three million cedis and it’s fully furnished. We, therefore, ask that those who are charged with the responsibility of ensuring the maintenance of the facility do so to ensure that it lasts to serve the purpose for which it was built”.
Meanwhile, Mr. Alan Kyerematen has inspected the Fruittiland fruit and Juice factory in Assin Nyankumasi which is under the government’s ‘one district one factory’ flagship project.
Commenting on the factory, he revealed that it is in line with government’s mission in ensuring the promotion of products and also support an indigenous Ghanaian company.
He also noted, the government has plans to also support over three thousand outgrowers who offer raw materials for the factories, further revealing that through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area the factory can be promoted across the continent.
Supplementing his statement with additional support to the factory, Mr. Kyerematen notes a number of incentives will be provided to the factory to thrive.
“Currently we import so many fruit juices from all over the world. We use scarce foreign exchange for an activity that can easily be localized. So one of the reasons why we are supporting this company is to be able to reduce the import that is coming in”.
