Cape Coast, Jan. 11, GNA - The leadership of the Convention Peoples' Party (CPP) on Tuesday, expressed concern about the rate at which local industries were collapsing.

According to Mr Ladi Nylander, the Chairman of the Party, the once bus= y and robust Accra industrial area had become virtually dead, particularly during week days and comes alive only on Sundays, not because of work but the activities of churches, which have virtually taken over the buildings o= f the defunct factories.

He made the revelation at a press conference in Cape Coast, when it presented its policies and programmes on health, education, agriculture, energy, social welfare and other sectors to the public. Among the CPP leadership present at the press conference were members of the newly formed shadow ministers, which include Professor Agyemang Badu Akorsa, for Health, Abu Sakara, Agriculture, Mr. Kojo Armah, Education and Naa Kordoi Addy, Social Welfare.

Others were Wing Commander (rtd) Pat Sorgbordzor, Defense, Mr. Bright Akwetey, Justice and Attorney General, Kwame Gyantoah, Energy and Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, Finance and Economic Planning. He questioned how the economy of the country, under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), will achieve its target Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 12.3 percent, when it had not taken any measures to ensure high growth. Mr Nylander said the manufacturing sector, which could have contribute= d a greater percentage to the GDP, recorded the lowest growth last year and asked where good jobs will come from without prospering factories. He pledged that a CPP administration would engender economic growth an= d transformation through the promotion of local industries, to help create jobs to boost the economy and move Ghana to a high income country. He said with the formation of the shadow ministers, they could make a positive impact while still in opposition, by sharing ideas concerning thei= r various sectors.