GUTA

The Ghana Union of Traders Association (GUTA) is urging government should consider doing a fair to showcase the factories under the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.

GUTA President, Dr Joseph Obeng proposed this on Asempa FM Ekosii Sen programme Friday.

He indicated that, as a businessman, only product he is familiar with under the IDIF is Ekumfi juice.

Mr. Obeng said the business community is not familiar with the products being manufactured despite the advocacy for the patronage of made-in-Ghana goods.

In this regard, Dr Obeng is certain a fair will be a platform to showcase indigenous products from the various factories under the IDIF initiative.

“We should be able to adopt this innovation because traders are not invited for the commissioning of these factories, so we don’t even know about the products.

“So we will continue to import even if we have the products in Ghana because we don’t know about them. I for instance, Ekumfi Juice is the only product I know,” he bemoaned.

Dr Obeng noted that, the fair will also serve as a platform for prospective investors to engage and assist the government’s industrialisation programme.

Additionally, he urged the government to focus on the production of raw materials for the factories constructed.

Background of IDIF

President Nana Akufo-Addo instituted the 1D1F programme to stimulate industrialisation, boost local production, and enhance the overall economic landscape of the country.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address (SONA) in February 2024, Akufo-Addo said some 170,000 jobs have been created by companies under the programme.

He said 321 projects have been developed, comprising 211 new medium to large-scale factories and support for 110 existing companies to expand production.

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