NDC’s claim for '1-district, 1-factory’ credit childish – Boahen

The Deputy General Secretary for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described as immature, claims by some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that their party should be credited for securing the land at Ekumfi in the Central Region on which the first factory under the One-District, One-Factory programme will be situated.

According to him, there are more pressing issues affecting the people of this country that the NDC must contribute their ideas to if they so wish, instead of engaging in “this low cost politics”.

His comments come on the heels of a former Deputy Minister of Trade under the Mahama administration, Murtala Mohammed, indicating that the land was acquired by the previous government.

According to Mr Murtala, credit must be given to the previous administration for the role played.

Government has announced that the president will be launching the One-District, One-Factory policy at Ekumfi Eyisam District and construct a fruit-processing factory at the place; the first under the programme.

In a statement, the concerned youth of Ekumfi described the decision to construct the factory there as “gratifying and fulfilling”.

The factory, when constructed, will process fruits like pineapple for both the local and international markets.

But speaking in an interview with Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on Class 91.3FM’s 505 programme, Mr Murtala said: “The land was secured through the Regional Coordinating Council, the District and the Central Regional Development Commission.

“The Central Regional Development Commission is like SADA. It is to ensure that poverty is reduced in the region because statistically, the Central Region is the 4th poorest region in Ghana apart from the three northern regions. And so credit must be given who credit is due.”

Reacting to those comments by Mr Murtala in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, Accra 100.5FM’s host of Ghana Yensom, Mr Obiri Boahen said: “Are these people serious at all in Ghana? How can they engage in this childish, day nursery and kindergarten kind of politics? They must as well say they brought the raw materials to be used in the factories.

“There are more serious issues happening in the country. The current government is gradually dealing with the mess they left behind and this is the kind of discussion they will to introduce? Let us not waste our precious time and resources on this matter because it doesn’t help anybody.”