Government for People Forum held in Tamale

Dr Edward Omane Boamah, Minister of Communications, has expressed the need for businesses to reduce their imports and buy from local producers to empower them to produce enough to feed the market.

He said this would transform as well as ensure the sustainable growth of the economy for the benefit of all.

Dr Omane Boamah said this when addressing the “Government for the People’s Forum” held in Tamale on Tuesday and attended by people from all walks of life in the region.

The forum has been instituted by the government as a means to provide an insight into its activities as well as serve as a platform to interact with the people.

Dr Omane Boamah said the challenges facing the country are as a result of the structure of the economy.

He suggested the need for the structure of the economy to be transformed if the challenges are to be addressed.

He said to this end, government is working to promote the consumption of made in Ghana products to change the situation.

He said the government is also working to revive as well as strengthen local industries to improve their capacity to expand their operations to create jobs.

Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, Minister of Roads and Highways said government is committed to improve the country’s road infrastructure to amongst other things promote efficient transportation.

Alhaji Fuseini mentioned some of the road projects that had been completed to include the Tamale-Tolon Road.

He gave the assurance that more roads are being constructed to open up towns and communities to promote business activities.

Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister in-charge of Tertiary Education said education is one of the high priority sectors of the government as it receives about 30 per cent of total budgetary allocation to all Ministries.

Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa said the country’s education system continue to remain one of the most preferred as there are currently more than 10,000 foreign students studying in tertiary institutions in the country.

He commended the 12 labour unions especially those in the education sector for suspending their almost two-week old strike and asked the teachers to do more to make up for the lost contact hours.

Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna, Northern Regional Minister enumerated a number of projects undertaken in the region and appealed to the residents: “To unite and uphold peace at all times in this region so that we can focus more on the task of development.”