As many as 191 companies have been identified under the One District, One Factory initiative to undertake projects in 102 districts, with the potential of creating 250,000 jobs when implemented.

“The Ministry of Trade and Industry completed technical, financial and commercial viability analysis of 462 proposals, out of which 191, covering 102 Districts, were selected for implementation,” Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, said.

“It is envisaged that these 191 District Enterprise Projects will collectively generate about 250,000 direct and indirect jobs,” he said.

Government, he said at the 2018 budget presentation, will allocate a minimum of GH¢2 million to each district for the implementation of the programme.

He said 104 of these companies will be operating in the Agribusiness sector; 20 in the Meat and Poultry sector; 40 in the Construction and Building Materials sub-sector; and the remaining 27 are businesses in the Cosmetics and Pharmaceuticals sectors.

The regional breakdown of the companies are as follows: Ashanti 35, Brong Ahafo 19, Central 21, Eastern 34, Greater Accra 28, Northern 17, Upper East 4, Upper West 5, Western 10, and Volta 18.

Government has emphasised that the One District, One Factory programme will be a vehicle to revive the country’s ailing manufacturing sector and add value to agriculture.

Besides the One District, One Factory initiative, the Akufo-Addo government has said it will pursue an aggressive industrialisation agenda that should further create jobs.

As part of making that vision possible, the Finance Minister said government is proposing, for the consideration of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, reductions in electricity tariffs for all consumers categories.

Medium-to heavy-users are in line to benefit from tariff reductions of between 13 to 21 percent. The reductions are expected to incentivise the factories that are expected to be established as part of the One District, One Factory initiative.

Also, a stimulus programme designed to support viable existing local companies that are currently distressed or are facing operational challenges but are deemed viable has, so far, received over 350 applications from business operators – out of which 80 were assessed to be eligible for support in the programme’s first phase.

The second phase will involve provision of a stimulus package consisting of technical and financial support to these eligible companies.

Mr. Ofori-Atta also told Parliament that next year, over 100,000 graduates will be taken on by government for implementation of the Nation Builders Corps programme which, he said, will be a major government initiative to address livelihood empowerment and graduate unemployment to solve economic and social problems.

Under the Nation Builders Corps programme, graduates will be trained, equipped with the necessary work tools, and deployed around the country to be engaged in assisting public service delivery in health, education, agriculture, sanitation; and drive revenue mobilisation and collection.