Government’s spokesperson on the economy, Manasseh Atta Boahene, has disclosed government’s intention to partner with local rice producers to boost rice production as part of the effort to make the country sufficient in rice production.
On Sunday 30th October, 2022 during the President’s address on the economy he stressed that government shall review the standards that are required for importation and put priority on the items that are imported into the country. To ensure this, President Akufo-Addo stated he will intensify support to ensure items that are produced in the country are sufficient.
‘’Much as we believe in free trade, we must work to ensure that the majority of goods in our shops and market places are those we produce and grow here in Ghana. That is why we have to support our farmers and domestic industries, including those created under the 1-District-1-Factory initiative, to help reduce our dependence on imports, and allow us the opportunity to export more and more of our products, and guarantee a stable currency that will present a high level of predictability for citizens and the business community. Exports, not imports, must be our mantra! Accra, after all, hosts the headquarters of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area’’, the President stated.
Speaking on the above on Movement In The Morning Show with Kwaku Dawuro he said that ‘’in the history of Ghana, his excellency President Akufo-Addo is the only government that has demonstrated clear vision in industrialization, he has strategically ensured the various districts have factories that can produce enough to feed the entire Ghanaian market and for export. Nigerians produced local rice yet they come to Ghana to buy our paddy rice’’.
”We don’t have enough machines to strain the rice, so we are not able to sell enough. Going forward government will partner with most of the farmers just like what the Ministry of Agric did recently-they bought machines and sold to farmers at a discounted price. We are committed to doing same”, he sated.
He added that government is eager to ginger local industries to produce more- and reduce importation by increasing taxes on exportation, adding that before such action is taken there’s the need to produce enough to feed the country.