AGI calls for policy to prioritise made-in-Ghana goods
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has accused the government of undermining efforts to promote Made-in-Ghana products, warning that the continued neglect of locally manufactured goods in favour of imports is eroding confidence in domestic industries and hurting Ghana’s quest for industrial growth.
According to the AGI, while successive governments have repeatedly encouraged citizens to patronise Ghanaian-made products, the state itself has failed to set the right example, particularly in flagship initiatives such as the School Feeding Programme, which still relies heavily on imported food items.
Speaking at the maiden Regional Agribusiness Dialogue organised by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industries in partnership with AgriImpact Limited in the Ashanti Region, the AGI’s Middle Belt Chairman, Mr Kwesi Nyamekye, stressed that meaningful industrial transformation requires deliberate policy interventions that prioritise local production over import dependency.
“It is a very good policy that the government is coming out with, but what the industry is looking for is a deliberate policy that is aimed towards growing businesses in Ghana. And why am I saying that? I think no country develops through imports,” Mr Nyamekye stated.
He argued that the government must take the lead in building and supporting Ghanaian businesses through policies that promote consumption of locally produced goods and services.
“The government should deliberately build local businesses for whatever policy it is implementing. We should try to set up policies that encourage Ghanaians to consume Made-in-Ghana products, and it should start from the government itself,” Mr Nyamekye emphasised.
He noted that if the government genuinely intends to promote local industries, it must ensure that its own procurement and social intervention programmes reflect that commitment.
“The government has policies like school feeding, and it should start buying Made-in-Ghana products so that industry will thrive. The government shouldn’t be importing food products to feed local people, that’s not how to develop a country,” Mr Nyamekye said.
The AGI also raised concerns about the country’s taxation system, which Mr Nyamekye described as skewed in favour of importers while creating hardship for local manufacturers.
He argued that excessive taxes and levies on local producers continue to erode their competitiveness, making imported goods cheaper and more attractive in the Ghanaian market.
“The current tax policies are crippling local industries. The system appears to reward imports while punishing local production. This must change if we truly want to grow Ghanaian businesses and create jobs,” Mr Nyamekye asserted.
He called on the government to urgently review its tax policies and adopt a more supportive framework that protects and incentivises domestic manufacturers.
Mr Nyamekye also maintained that only a deliberate shift towards empowering local producers through favourable tax regimes, procurement reforms, and consistent policy enforcement would restore confidence in Ghana’s industrial sector and sustain long-term economic growth.
