Until Ghanaians start consuming their local goods and services, true economic independence would continue to elude the country, Mrs Comfort Aniagyei, Managing Director, Ghana Made, has said.

“Decolonisation is not just a political process but also economic and psychological. When we turn ourselves into consumers and connoisseurs of foreign goods and services and frown on our own foods and produce, we lose our souls; in fact, we lose our all,” she said.

Mrs Aniagyei, who owns the only chain of shops dedicated to the sale of only goods made in Ghana, told the Ghana News Agency in Tema that, “Our trade deficits and other economic problems are partly due to our uncompromising preference for anything foreign. Can you imagine what we can do with the one billion dollars we spend importing rice annually?”

“I am not saying that this acquired taste can be wiped away overnight because after several generations of slave trade, slavery and colonisation, we are bound to behave in an unusual way; but we must rethink our whole make up; embracing our identity, spirituality and take our destiny in our hands and regain our national pride.”

She called on the government to create an enabling environment in which local farmers, fishermen and industrialists can compete favourably since the competition they face now is dictated by outside forces and will eventually wipe out local initiative and ingenuity.

“We must improve on the state and network of rural roads, intensify research and extension, improve on irrigation and keep the import door not too open among others. Government can do a lot more to improve the circumstances of our people.”

Mrs Aniagyei appealed to local investors to direct their resources to local producers for them to create jobs to reduce the simmering social tension in the system as a result of unemployment and desperation.

On the establishment of Ghana Made shops, she said: “I wanted to offer local producers a permanent platform or trade fair which will give them an opportunity to showcase their produce, concepts and ideas.”

According to her, the shop also encourages a healthy competition among local producers, which has resulted in improved standards.

“We are in our fifth year and so far we have proved to all that Ghanaians are also capable of producing their own. Ghanaians have the ability to identify sources of raw materials and turn them into finished goods thereby creating a worthy value chain. All that we need is to encourage ourselves.”