The biggest opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stated that it will implement a “Ghana Framework for Industrial Revitalization, Support and Transformation (Ghana FIRST)” program when elected into office.
The ‘Ghana FIRST’, the NDC said, will help boost the real sector of the economy. The NDC stated that “despite its limitless potential, the real sector under the NPP Government has not received any significant boost to deliver robust employment opportunities for Ghanaians apart from sloganeering”.
This was disclosed in the party’s 2020 manifesto launch in Accra on Monday.
The ‘Ghana FIRST’, according to the NDC, “identifies sixteen strategic growth areas in the real sector based on their potential to grow rapidly, create jobs, contribute to exports and expand Government revenue while contributing to building a resilient economy”.
Some of the key strategic growth areas under the ‘Ghana FIRST’ program include agriculture and agro-processing, ICT, waste management, health, and education services.
The NDC remarked that, “Agriculture remains the backbone of the Ghanaian economy, however, the potential of the sector has not been fully harnessed thereby contributing less to economic growth”.
They [NDC] pointed out that they have “implemented several programs and initiatives to enhance Agriculture”; including irrigation and mechanization, credit facilities and incentives to farmers and fishermen when they were in power.
The largest opposition party is of the view that the focus on agriculture as one of the strategic growth areas “will put Ghana on the path of self-sufficiency in the production of commodities and the possibility of excess for export, stimulate economic growth and create opportunities for sustainable jobs”.
The NDC made a promise to ensure the processing of at least 50 per cent of cocoa beans locally before export when voted into office. This, according to the NDC, “will maximize output, value and foreign exchange earnings, which will translate into jobs and economic growth.
“Small scale cocoa processing companies and artisanal cocoa product manufacturers will also be supported in cocoa-growing regions”, the NDC added.
Furthermore, the party has pledged to “promote the consumption of Ghana cocoa and cocoa-based products domestically as well as regionally, taking full advantage of the continental free trade area”.
Still under the ‘Ghana FIRST’, the next NDC Government plans to develop a national policy to restructure the small-scale mining sector.
As part of the restructuring, the NDC said, they will “set up a Gold Board (GOLDBOD) for the small-scale mining sector, to provide mining support services to the sector, ranging from concession viability, health, safety and efficiency in mine operations, equipment financing and mining input, research and standardization, gold recovery optimization as well as post-mining, and land reclamation services.
“The GOLDBOD will issue licenses to Ghanaian companies and foreign companies with local partners, giving clear geographical boundaries as their catchment area for production”.
