Mahama promises support for agric, manufacturing sectors

Government in its transformation agenda would step up support for the agricultural and manufacturing sectors, President John Dramani Mahama has announced.

He pointed out that no country could build on trade and commerce without more emphasis on agriculture and the manufacturing sectors that had the potential to create more jobs and reduce high import bills.

"Our transformation agenda is on course, and we can only achieve our goals through the expansion of existing manufacturing industries and the establishment of many more others by the day.

President Mahama who announced this during the inauguration of a new ultra-modern bottling plant of the Kasapreko Company Limited, also gave the assurance that government would do everything under its purview to restore reliable electricity for both domestic and industrial use.

The Kasapreko Company which started with only three workers in 1989 with its flagship product 'Kasapreko Alomo Bitters, can now boast of a staff strength of 600 workers, championed by a pioneering management team.

The company now boasts of a total of 21 brands which are sold throughout the African continent and beyond.

The newly-installed two high speed lines will produce water and non-alcoholic drinks, with a combined capacity of 40,000 bottles per hour.

President Mahama said over the months, he had visited some indigenous Ghanaian businesses such as; Accra Brewery Limited, Cocoa Touton, Ghacem expansion project in Takoradi, TOBINCO, Ernest and Danadams Pharmaceutical Companies, to assess the performance of those companies against their competitors.

He said as part of encouraging growth in the private sector, government would forge ahead for more Public-Private-Partnerships to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in production.

The President commended Kasapreko Company for distinguishing itself as an ambassador of African culture, on account of the indigenous tradition it imbibes in its commercials and advertisements.

He appealed to Kasapreko and other local manufacturing companies to patronize local raw materials to reduce import bills and, create more jobs for Ghanaians.

Dr Kwabena Adjei, Group Chairman and Founder of Kasapreko Company, said as a member of the Ghana Club 100, Kasapreko was a representation of an authentically Ghanaian corporate brand.

He promised to continue working with research institutions to come out with innovations that would meet the demands of the Ghanaian market and beyond the continent.

The founder said the vision of the company was to become the leader in the beverage industry in Ghana with a global footprint.

Mr Richard Adjei, Chief Executive Officer of the company, commended distributors throughout the continent for pushing its products beyond the confines of Ghana's borders.

There were goodwill messages from the Ghana Food and Drug Authority and their Nigerian counterparts, the Association of Ghana Industries, and the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana, among other institutions.