Local industry holds key to accelerated development — Parliamentary Select Committee

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Dr Kwabena Donkor, has stated that the local Ghanaian industry holds the key to the nation’s drive towards industrialisation and accelerated development.

He explained that foreign investors  could only play a complementary role, and assured local companies, especially those in the manufacturing sector, of the state’s support to expand and play their role as the engine of growth.

Dr Donkor, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Pru East Constituency, made the statement when the Select Committee members visited Prefos Ghana Limited, an electricity service and infrastructure provider.

The wholly Ghanaian-owned company, located at Adarko-Jachie in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality, has a contract with the government to produce streetlights for all cities and urban areas in the country. The measure is part of the government’s agenda to beautify cities and towns and also provide adequate security for communities at night.

Local content

Dr Donkor said although Prefos was using some local content, meaning some portions were manufactured in Kumasi to complete the entire component of the streetlights, the company should strive to increase local participation as a way of generating more jobs in Ghana.

Asian example

Dr Donkor applauded the company’s managers for their foresight to assemble the products in Ghana but encouraged them to lure their partners to establish a manufacturing wing in Ghana to give true meaning to the industrialisation process.

He said most Asian industries that were currently making it big in the manufacturing world had a small beginning like Prefos but were able to improve their processes over time and eventually became giant manufacturing companies.

Urban migration

The chairman of the committee said Ghana’s drive towards attaining industrialisation over the years was targeted at supporting local industries to grow, especially those that would establish out of Accra, in areas such as Ashanti, Brong Ahafo and the Northern regions.

That, he explained, was targeted at creating employment and development in those areas as well as stem the tide of migration to Accra and other urban cities for non-existing job openings.

Ghana’s policy

He reminded the gathering that the policy of the state, and not just a particular government, had been that the private sector was the engine of growth. “I say this has been the policy of the state because the past administration professed it and the current has also professed it.”

Dr Donkor explained that there was consensus at the level of the state that the private sector should lead the way in transforming the economy into one that would be export-led and break the cycle of importation of most finished goods; a situation that has led to balance of trade deficit.

Prefos MD

Briefing the Select Committee, the Managing Director of Prefos Limited, Alex Kwasi Fosu, noted that the company had established the Prefos School on its premises to train people to manage the streetlights when  handed over to the various assemblies.

He said the school would also train ordinary Ghanaians who were willing to acquire skills in the electrical field to earn a decent living for themselves and also become employers, when possible