Nana Kwadwo Agyei Yeboah, popularly known as Nana Kay, has opined that despite Ghana reaching 69 years of independence, the nation remains far behind and is struggling to achieve the self-sufficiency originally envisioned by its founders.
The aspiring National Organiser of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) expressed disappointment that Ghana, which famously taught Malaysia how to cultivate oil palm, is now struggling to benefit from the industry.
Meanwhile, Malaysia has leveraged the crop to transform its national economy. In his view, the last 69 years have amounted to “hard labour” with very few results to show for the nation’s struggles.
He further lamented that Ghana’s reputation as the “Gateway to Africa” is no longer a reality.
Nana Kay highlighted the irony of a country with numerous palm plantations importing the majority of its soap.
“When you go to the business community and see the amount of soap we import from Côte d’Ivoire, it is shocking. The majority of soaps used for washing and bathing are imported from Côte d’Ivoire. The rest are also brought in from Togo.”
A particularly stinging point of his critique involved the Ghanaian rice brand, Aveyime Rice. He alleged that the company in charge of production was sold to a Chinese entity, which now exports the premium grain back to Asia.
“One painful thing I discovered in China was how the Aveyime rice produced in Ghana is now exported to China and has become the most expensive brand in China. The brand is sold in luxurious hotels and other locations.”
To reverse this trend, Nana Kay proposed that the government implement tax incentives for local producers and manufacturers to encourage expansion.
He emphasised the urgent need for a cultural shift, urging Ghanaians to prioritise locally grown food, support the domestic textile industry, and actively market and consume “Made in Ghana” goods to bolster the national economy.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
