President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday tasked the committee on Made-in-Ghana Goods to initiate and implement public awareness programmes that would project those goods.
He said the promotion of the made-in-Ghana goods would boost the sense of national pride, especially in the textiles and consumable goods sector.
President Mahama threw the challenge when he inaugurated an 18-member steering committee on Made-in-Ghana Goods at the Flagstaff House in Accra.
The committee, which is chaired by Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, has representatives from the Trade Ministry, Association of Ghana Industries, GRATIS Foundation and the Ghana Trade Fair Company.
Others are; Institute of Public Relations, Ghana Standards Authority, Ghana Chamber of Commerce and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
The committee is mandated to reverse the high importation of goods that Ghana has a comparative advantage in by promoting local industries to flourish and create jobs in conformity with President Mahama's State of the Nation's Address earlier this year.
President Mahama said considering the fact that every country on the continent was trying to achieve some level of self-reliance, it was only expedient for Ghana to move in a similar direction to give the country a national identification in terms of their products and services.
He commended Dr Spio-Garbrah for the initiative indicating that the move would subsequently reduce the balance of payment deficit in the coming years.
President Mahama said although Ghana was ranked second in industrialisation in the sub-region, a lot more needed to be done to maintain and surpass that status.
The President said government was undertaking a research to find out the possibility of producing wheat in the country and urged the flour manufacturers to take advantage to support that course that would subsequently reduce their cost of production.
He said government was the highest consumer of made- in-Ghana goods and services and would, therefore, do everything possible to ensure the success of the campaign.
Dr Spio-Garbrah said three sub committees were formed under the umbrella steering committee to undertake strategic steps to ensure effective implementation and success.
He named the committees as; Policy Regulatory, Technology and Innovation, and Communications and Marketing.
The minister called on stakeholders to stick to their roles and responsibilities to ensure the successful implementation of the programme.
Source: GNA
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