The Executive Director of the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), Peter Bismark Kwofie, has criticised the government’s approach to industrialisation, arguing that the heavily publicised ‘One District, One Factory’ (1D1F) initiative was hijacked by politicians for populist gains and vote-buying.
According to him, whilst the 1D1F concept was fundamentally a great policy designed to process local agricultural products, its execution was flawed from the onset because it was led by the government rather than the private sector.
Mr Kwofie asserted that the state’s role should have been strictly limited to providing an enabling environment and supporting services, leaving actual implementation to private industry.
“Ghana already has a developing industrial framework, but unlocking its full potential has been more of a political challenge than an economic one,” he noted.
The ILAPI boss expressed worry over the high rate of youth brain drain, revealing that several young Ghanaians with substantial savings are choosing to flee the country rather than risk investing locally.
He disclosed that he has been interacting with young people who have the desire to engage in industrial activities and have saved between $10,000 and $30,000. However, they prefer to travel abroad with their capital.
“They believe success depends on reliable energy, infrastructure development, flexible regulatory frameworks, transportation, and litigation-free lands. Investing such resources here under current conditions can be fatal,” Kwofie warned.
He lamented that Ghana continues to boast about its raw material exports whilst heavily importing finished products. He argued that true industrialisation requires a decisive shift from a raw commodity-based economy—relying on the export of raw cocoa, gold, and oil—to a value-added manufacturing hub.
To change this dynamic, Mr Kwofie urged the country to focus on processing domestic agricultural goods such as cassava, oil palm, and cashews into industrial starch and packaged foods. He added that developing the nation’s mineral wealth, particularly iron ore deposits, could supply local steel and manufacturing mills to sustain rural livelihoods and create jobs.
Calling for an immediate end to superficial political schemes, the policy analyst concluded: “We must industrialise and stop this ‘Akoko Nkitinkiti’ populist agenda. We cannot survive without industries. Manufacturing industries create jobs; politicians create dependency.”
Read the full opinion below
Can Ghana Industrialize its Economy?
Oh yes and yes yes ????????
I always have the hope Ghana can industrialize, but it requires shifting from a raw commodity-based economy (exporting cocoa, gold, and oil) and populist policies to a value-added manufacturing hub.
I have been interacting with young people who have the desire to engage in industrial activities. They have saved money ($10,000-$30,000) but would prefer to travel abroad with it.
They believe success depends on reliable energy, infrastructure development, flexible regulatory frameworks, transportation, and litigation free lands. Investing such resources here the country can be fatal.
We are only touting about our raw material exports while importing finished products. One initiative that shouldn’t have been led by the government is the One District One Factory (1D1F) to process local agricultural products and resources. It was a great policy, but politicians made it a populist policy and vote-buying. That should have been left in the hands of the private industry while government provides the enabling environment and services to implement.
Ghana already has a developing industrial framework, but unlocking its full potential has been more of political than economic.
True industrialization means changing this dynamic. By processing domestic agricultural goods (such as cassava, oil palm, and cashews) into industrial starch and packaged foods, Ghana can create jobs, sustain rural livelihoods, and meet domestic consumption needs. Additionally, developing the country’s mineral wealth, like iron ore deposits in places across the country, can supply local steel and manufacturing mills.
We must industrialize and stop this Akoko Nkitinkiti populist agenda. We can’t survive without industries. Manufacturing industries create jobs, politicians create dependency.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
