Alan rallies support for Mahama’s ‘Made in Ghana’ call

Former Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Special Initiatives Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanten has called for support for President John Dramani Mahama’s call for patronage of made-in-Ghana products.

“I believe that if all of us commit ourselves to this vision and objective of promoting what we produce in Ghana obviously that will go a long way,” Mr Kyeremanten told TV3’s Thomas Addotei Pappoe on Tuesday.

But he insisted that there should be a national consciousness and understanding of President Mahama’s call.

President Mahama, last Thursday in his 57th Independence anniversary address, called for patronage of Ghanaian-made products, declaring that every day should be observed ‘Made in Ghana’ Day.

“There is no reason why a significant number of the items that we import to use on a daily basis cannot be made right here in Ghana," President Mahama remarked. "Just as we purchase products that are proudly Italian, proudly Chinese, proudly Turkish, or proudly South African, there is no reason why we cannot manufacture goods that are proudly Ghanaian.”

Mr Kyeremanten, who missed out last year on contesting the Director General post of the World Trade Organisation, recommended that the productive base of Ghana's economy should be expanded if the structural deficiencies are to be dealt with.

He made this remark while commenting on the country's economy on the sidelines of the Daily Graphic-Fidelity Bank Breakfast Meeting.