NDC signs MOU with AGI

Accra, April 25, GNA - The National Democratic Congress (NDC) on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) to cement the party's policy of advancing the industrial sector in Ghana if the party came to power.

The six-point MOU obliged the next NDC Government to formulate an industrial policy with specific focus on the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) sector, develop a major business plan for the SMEs and promulgate economic policies to ensure that the manufacturing sector grows beyond the current gross domestic product rate.

The rest were a guarantee to finalise the passage of an industrial component and competitive bill within 100 days of assumption of power in January 2009 after winning the December polls and to rationalize the tax structure and reduce the cost of doing business in the country. The MOU, which also obligated an NDC Government to put in place a private sector development strategy was signed by Professor John Evans Atta Mills, NDC flagbearer for Election 2008 and Mr. Anthony Oteng Gyasi, AGI President at a special platform created by the association dubbed; "Encounter With Presidential Candidates."

The encounter was to afford the association an opportunity to examine the manifestos of the various political parties contesting the December polls with particular focus on the industrial sector. The high powered NDC team, led by Prof Mills, includes Mr. John Dramani Mahama, his Running Mate, Mr. Tsatsu Tsikata an energy expert, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni a legal expert, and other national and regional executives of the party.

Prof Mills in his presentation identified the crisis in the Ghanaian industries, the need for an industrial growth, elucidate on some basic principles for building and maintaining a harmonious relationship between Government and industrial sector.

The NDC Flag bearer said his administration would establish the machinery to enable Ghana take steps such as antidumping and countervailing measures to protect local industries. "We will put in place equalization mechanism that will remove the disadvantages that Ghanaian firms suffer in relation to others at the global manufacturing industries, which they compete with.

"We will establish trade adjustment fund to assist industries that are negatively impacted by free trade to adjust to foreign competitions. The Ghanaian industries would be required to provide a credible adjustment plan to qualify for support," Prof Mills stated to thunderous applause.

Prof Mills said the next NDC Government would also establish a process for a periodic review of tariffs to ensure that local industries stay competitive, while the nation maximize the benefit of the free trade agreements.

The former Vice President said the country was aware of the difficulties that Ghanaian industries faced in their efforts to assess the sub-regional market under the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).

He gave the assurance that the next NDC Government would work in close collaboration with AGI to ensure the removal of the bottlenecks that impede the realization of ETLS benefit to Ghanaians. On the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), Prof Mills said the challenges facing local industries have hindered their assess to the opportunities AGOA offered.

"The indications are that our industries have difficulties in meeting contractual deadlines and product specifications as well as quantities required.

"High production costs arising from unreliable supplies from the utilities also constrained the ability of industry to improve efficiency."

On national security, the NDC flag bearer promised to strengthen national border security to check the rampant smuggling that has become the medium of bringing in cheap low quality imports leading to corruption and weakening of state institutions. "We shall deal firmly and decisively with this problem. We in the NDC have dealt with similar crises in the past before and we shall do it again."

Other issues the NDC leader concentrated on included; industrial infrastructure development to facilitate the growth of the private sector, human resources development to meet the varied needs of the industry- enhancement of the skills of personnel to enable them to understand, anchor and adapt foreign technology to the domestic market, products and the production process. In addition to infrastructural development and the improvement of the macro-economic framework, an NDC government will also focus on the level of the firm towards the enhancement of the competitiveness of local industries.

The rest are SMEs and decentralized industrial development, focus on new and emerging industries and tax reforms for the industrial sector.

Mr Oteng-Gyasi called for policies that would address imperfections in trade and advised government to tap the expertise of University graduates for the growth of businesses. He also urged employers to organize additional training courses for their staff to make them more effective.