Government's quest for 'Ghana Beyond Aid' on course - Adu Boahen

Mr Charles Adu Boahen, a Deputy Minister for Finance, said government's quest to take Ghana out of the aid dependency syndrome was on course.

Speaking at the plenary session of the maiden edition of the Results Fair organised by the Ministry of Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Adu Boahen said the country's vision was one of a prosperous nation meeting its own need and not having to depend on the charity of others.

Mr Adu Boahen said the vision was a "Ghana that has modernized its agriculture, developed internationally competitive manufacturing and modern services; that adds value to its agricultural and natural resources; a Ghana that provides productive employment opportunities".

Other distinguished personalities on the plenary included; the Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanten, and the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, who is the Member of Parliament for Kwadaso Constituency in the Ashanti Region.

Touching on the state of the economy, the Deputy Minister said the macroeconomic outlook and medium-term prospects remained strong and favourable.

This outlook is supported by strong activity in the extractive industry that is oil, gold and bauxite, a safer and resilient banking system, prudent macroeconomic policy stance, rapid infrastructure and oil sector investment and favourable external environment.

Mr Adu Boahen said government's agriculture sector initiatives such as "Planting for Food and Jobs", Rearing for Food and Jobs" and the "Planting for Exports and Rural Development" had opened up avenues for new investments, both local and foreign.

On his part, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr Alan Kyeremanten enumerated a number of industrial transformation plans his Ministry had put in place and reiterated that industrialisation was the key to Ghana Beyond Aid vision.

The plan, he stated, centered on Economic Growth and Development, Job Creation, Mainstreaming Science, Technology and Innovation, Industrialisation, Stimulus Package for local industries.

Others were; One District, One Factory, Strategic anchor for Industrial Initiative, Industrial Sub-Contracting Exchange, Export Development, Business Regulatory Reforms and Industrial Packs.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, also took participants through a number of models under the Planting for Food and Job initiative and the impact on the macro economy.

Dr Afriyie Akoto mentioned the Planting for Export and Rural Development, Rearing for Food and Jobs, Green House, and Agriculture Mechanisation as the models under the Planting for Food and Job.

He continued that each of the models was contributing significantly to the macro-economy.

The Minister noted that the Planting for Export and Rural Development sought to develop six or seven other tree crops, including; shea, to earn the nation at least GHC 2billion in the next six to seven years as cocoa does currently for the nation.