Business News of Wednesday, 24 May 2017

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Akufo-Addo must stop politicisation of one district, one factory - Kwame Jantuah

Kwame Jantuah play videoKwame Jantuah

Former Vice Chair of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC) and businessman, Kwame Jantuah has strongly advised the Nana Addo-led government against politicising its flagship program, one-district-one-factory.

According to Mr. Jantuah, the attempt by government to hand over projects in the districts to its party affiliates undermines the projects ability to yield the desired results in the interest of Ghanaians.

Speaking exclusively to www.ghanaweb.com at the CEO’s summit in Accra, Kwame Jantuah decried the over politicisation of all government initiatives in the country’s political space, insisting that the country will only make progress if government does not loosen its grip over projects that can best run under private ownership.

“It is not a question of one-district-one-factory and the next thing you see it is party affiliates who are getting the one-district one-factory, let it cut across board stop the party affiliation. Anybody who is a Ghanaian, who can handle this one district one factory open it up for them. It shouldn’t be this NPP, NDC, CPP, open it up for all” he exclaimed.

Mr. Jantuah also lauded the one-district one-factory initiative adding that if properly implemented would improve on the economic fortunes of the country.

He explained that for the policy to succeed, government needs to involve the private sector and other stakeholders in the implementation process.

Meanwhile Lawyer Jantuah remarked that the project lacks an implementation plan, urging government to draft a framework to court and guide private investors.

He also advocated for broader dialogue between government and businesses in the private sector so the nitty-gritties of the policy are ironed to yield its optimum benefit.

“It’s a good thing one district one factory, but how many of private businesses are around the table helping government to plan how this thing is going to be. They said one district one factory, how is it going to come about? In a district what kind of district are we putting there? What are some of the raw materials we have identified to be able to tell that this factory will go there this factory will go there!” he noted.