The
government and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on
Friday signed a new country programme (CP) to boost Ghana’s industrialisation
drive.
The
four-year programme (2019-2022) expected to be implemented alongside the West
African Competitiveness Programme (WACP) of the European Union (EU), would leverage
on value addition and private sector partnerships to create jobs as well as increase
the country’s competitiveness on the international market.
Estimated
at the cost of 35 million Euros, both projects are anchored on agribusiness through
the development of value chains and market access, increase in investments and
industrial productivity, improve competitiveness of medium and small scale enterprises
and promote quality and safety of produce for export.
The
Director General of UNIDO, Li Yong, EU Ambassador to Ghana, Ms Diana Acconcia
and Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten signed the agreements
at a brief ceremony in Accra on Friday.
Mr
Kyeremanten in a remark alluded to the timeliness of the CP in addressing the
daunting challenge of unemployment in the country, saying that inclusive and
sustainable job creation could only be achieved through “an aggressive
industrialisation agenda” which the government was determined to follow through
to the latter.
The
Minister expressed optimism that the implementation of a single trade market
for Africa would be a major boost for industrialisation on the continent and promote
inclusive prosperity.
“As
of now, about 21 countries have ratified the agreement and hopefully by June this
year we expect the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) to come into full force.
This means that countries like Ghana who appreciate the value of industrialisation
and are ready will have the advantage to do so and we are happy that the
country’s framework to create jobs and push industrialisation comes at a time
like this,” he stated.
Expressing
appreciation to the delegation, Mr Kyeremanten made reference to previous
support received from the EU and UNIDO under similar arrangement noting that, “this
new one in line with government’s 10-point industrialisation agenda will help
us integrate more into the global market depending on the value chains and
inure to inclusive prosperity.”
The
Director General of UNIDO, Li Yong, expressed the hope that Ghana would
increase its competitiveness on the global market through the CP and improve its
economic performance.
He
commended the government for embarking on a rigorous industrialisation agenda
indicating that “countries that have developed have done so through
industrialisation.”
Mr
Yong, however, cautioned that the right and innovative strategies were put in
place to achieve desired results in the sector in line with Goal Nine of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).
“We
are going to look at each industry and place values on each of them whether cocoa,
cassava, shea butter etc. Small and medium enterprise jobs would be created and
training of human resource will be critical,” he noted.
Ms
Acconcia who was impressed with the job creation agenda of the government in
line with building a “Ghana beyond aid” said “this project is a concrete
possibility for industries to become a competitor and to be an exporter to the
world and foremost, to create good and sustainable jobs for the young people
and women in Ghana.”
She observed that Ghana still had the
advantage through the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to access EU markets
but exporters must ensure they work within best standards and practices.
By Abigail Annoh
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