Private sector to be given pride of place - Mills

Accra, Jan. 14, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Wednesday said there was the need to take a fresh look at the private sector to give it the pride of place in building a robust economy. He said it was time the cooperation between Government and the private sector entered a new phase to chart a better course for manufacturing industries.

The President made the statement when a three-man delegation of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) called on him at the Castle, Osu, in Accra.

The delegation, led by its President, Mr Tony Oteng Gyasi called to congratulate President Mills on his assumption of the high office and to re-assure him of their readiness to team up with the Government to deliver jobs, development and prosperity. President Mills underscored the role of the private sector, especially, local manufacturing industries. He observed that the underperformance of some industries required that Government and the private sector entered into a new phase of cooperation.

President Mills said his promise to the private sector would be a pact that would be worked out.

He pledged to cooperate with the private business community; declaring: "You have in me a friend." President Mills recalled that he used to sit in meetings of the AGI when he served as Vice President and gave indications that those meetings would be reactivated. He said Wednesday's meeting should be the beginning of regular interaction between Government and the private sector. Mr Gyasi recalled that President Mills' pledge in his inaugural address to ensure that local industries did not suffer from undue competition from cheap imports, was a show of his commitment to the development of the private sector. The other members of the delegation were Nana Owusu Afari of Afariwaa Farms, Vice President and Mr Cletus Kosiba, Chief Executive Director, both of AGI.