Trade Ministry, 1D1F secretariat lack proper coordination – John Kumah

The Chief Executive Officer of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan (NEIP), John Kumah, has stated that there is lack of proper coordination between the One-District-One-Factory Secretariat and the Ministry of Trades and Industry with regard to projects under the programme.

Speaking on 3FM’s morning show, Sunrise, on Thursday, the NEIP boss said the secretariat ought to constantly brief the Trades Ministry about projects commissioned.

“I think there is a problem with proper coordination because an agency under a ministry cannot announce a number of works done and the ministry announces a different thing,” he stated.

John Kumah made these comments following the appearance of the Trades Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, on the floor of parliament to answer questions regarding the 1D1F project.

When questioned about the number of factories set up so far under the 1D1F project, Alan Kyerematen was unable to provide the necessary statistics regarding the exact number of projects undertaken.

According to the NEIP CEO, there seems to be some level of miscommunication between the 1D1F secretariat and the Trade Ministry, hence, the inability of the minister to give numbers before parliament.

“Ministers speak based on the briefings they receive. I do not know how the coordination between the secretariat and the minister is. It is appearing that there is incoherence with activities of the 1D1F and what the supervisory ministry is supposed to be saying.”

John Kumah, however, stated that some 19 factories have been commissioned so far under the 1D1F programme.

READ: NPP gov’t sets up 19 factories under ‘1-District, 1-Factory’ so far?

He stated that the 19th project was recently commissioned and currently employs some 90 workers in Asutsuare.

“I was present, and I have posted the videos and pictures, and this is from the Secretariat of the 1D1F. I was present when the National Coordinator made the announcement that what we were commissioning was the 19th of the factories that have been commissioned so far,” Mr Kumah said.

He added, “I am not conjuring anything, I am speaking to facts, and I have attached videos and pictures of the projects. I am not speaking on hearsay, I have given you specific locations and names of companies, chiefs and people were present with logos of Ghana 1D1F and the factory, as well as NEIP, we are part of the project.”