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Public institutions to buy Made-in-Ghana products by law

By: Fred Yaw Sarpong- Daily Express

Public institutions using tax payer’s money will be required by law to buy only locally manufactured product if there is enough of that product on the market, according to the Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah.

“We have reached a stage where a broad policy document have been drafted and is been refined to focus on about 20 to 22 products, which we believe Ghanaians or public institutions in particular can be mandated and requested to attempt to focus in their procurement and purchases,” the minister noted.

He said the trade ministry is getting ready to present the draft bill to the Cabinet by September, this year.

He stated that depending on the way the policy is adopted by Cabinet and pass into law by Parliament for certain kinds of Ghanaian products, public institutions which are using tax payer’s money will be required to buy only locally made products in the country.  

Dr. Spio-Garbrah said this when he addressed journalists on how to report on private businesses in the country. The event was organized by the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Accra.

“But as we get closer to self-sufficient on those particular products, then we will expect public schools, prison service, hospitals, armed forces, police and any institutions that depend on the tax payer’s money to preferable procure made in Ghana products,” the Minister stated.

The minister lamented that there are some products which do not have national self-sufficient in the country. “For instance, we don’t produce enough rice here to feed all Ghanaians. So we cannot say that all secondary schools must only buy made in Ghana rice, whereby people cannot find made in Ghana rice to buy. What will be the point then?

Dr. Spio-Garbrah said private institutions and individuals can use their monies and spend it any way they want, “except we prevail upon them from a national patriotism point of view to also consider spending as much of their household income on made in Ghana products as possible.”

The minister said that the Trade ministry shall be having discussion with shops and big supermarkets in the malls to create specially sections and departments, where made in Ghana logo and products made from Ghana are lodge there for public consumption.

“We will be educating Ghanaians and encouraging them to purchase made in Ghana products, whenever they visit those shops,” he added.

Beyond this, the minister said the Made-in-Ghana logo, which has been already launched is going to be popularize and will be in most on those identified products and they will be easy to be identify.
The minister said that they have also identified the advertizing agency that will promote the campaign. “We have had discussion with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) about how the logo will be used and how small fees will be charge by those who will use the logo,” he stated.

He explained that this is because the logo will be enhancing the quality, perception and the brand value of Made-in-Ghana products.

The Daily Express told that those companies that will use the logo in their products will have to pay small amount to enable the campaign to be activated nationally

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