The New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential hopeful, Alan Kyerematen, says he will partner the private sector to fund infrastructural development in the country.
According to the former Minister for Trade and Industry, the new policy will ease the burden on the central government to always look for funds to tackle infrastructure, which is capital intensive.
Mr Alan Kyerematen made this known in a stakeholder engagement with some business owners in the private sector in Accra yesterday.
It was under the theme: ‘Building a Strategic Partnership between Government and the Private Sector for Progress and Prosperity through the Great Transformational Plan (GTP).”
The GTP, according to the former Minister for Trade and Industry, is to lead a more self-reliant economy to move Ghana from stability and growth to transformation.
Mr. Kyerematen also told his guests that some components of the GTP would tackle inflation and ensure a stable currency among others. He promised to actively promote export diversification and value-addition and import substitution programmes under the industrial transformational agenda, as well as increase financing to SMEs when he eventually becomes president.
Elaborating on industry, he said automobile companies would be encouraged to establish assemble plants in the country, whilst there will be a boost in other areas, such as garment & textiles, pharmaceuticals, vegetable & fats production, industrial chemical, industrial starch, integrated bauxite & aluminium, iron, steel and machinery & equipment.
On agriculture, he stated that the collapsed irrigation system will be revived in addition to the establishment of food distribution and marketing companies.
The former minister added that the agriculture sector that he envisaged is the one that is driven by technology, market-led value addition and to promote an economy of skilled labour. Also, he said his government would facilitate the establishment of a shipping line.
“This is why I want to be a President and turning things around in this country is not that complicated,” he said.
He explained to the business community that as a visionary person, he does not want to become president before he starts engaging them to identify their challenges, as well as to solicit for solution.
In attendance were business owners, chief executive officers and managing directors of the private sector in the country.
Notable among the attendees were; the Presidents of the Private Enterprise Federation, Nana Osei Bonsu, the Association of Ghana Industry (AGI), Dr. Ayim Darke, the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Clement Amoako, the Association of Small Scale Industries, Alhaji Mumin Saeed and the Vice President of GUTA, Mr. Clement Boateng.
Others worth mentioning were the President of Association of Garment and Apparel Manufacturers of Ghana Ms. Nura Salifu and Mr. Jeff Oppong Preprah, the President of Automobile Assemblies Association of Ghana.
