The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for the Afoase Ayirebi constituency, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has called on policy makers to shape the economy in a way that would reserve some portions for only Ghanaians.
The former broadcaster turned politician speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show explained that in every economy, the position of ownership affects supply.
“Take poultry, every year we spend hundreds of millions of dollars to import poultry products into the country, what that means is that Ghanaians where the market is are denied of about 200 million dollars and the supply is sitting somewhere outside and they are creating the jobs outside,” he added.
Mr. Nkrumah, who intervened to make a comment on the award of contract to a supposed Nigerian security company, Pathfinder, at the Kotoka International Airport, bemoaned the habit where sensitive sectors of the economy are increasingly being ceded to foreigners.
[contextly_sidebar id=”q2FsKGilC15GHG7GjvXJ03nkvrzxB9ql”]“For example, I reported the sale of GT shares to Vodafone in 2008 because I think that particular sector is a sector which Ghana must have a significant ownership, security at the airport is another, there are many areas that we have to ensure that Ghanaian ownership is reserved,” he stressed.
He added that Ghana’s financial sector lacks capital injection from local investors because the current structure of the economy favours foreigners.
“That is why we do not have capital in this country, all our banks are owned by somebody outside”, he said.
He suggested that government, Trade Ministry and the Private Enterprise Foundation (PEF) must work at building the capacity of Ghanaian firms by helping them form a consortium.
He however pointed out that some areas could be capital intensive and may not be handled by local investors, but added that a consortium of companies could come to together to handle some important sectors of the economy that cannot be left in the hands of foreigners.
Some Ghanaian security companies who provide security services at the Kotoka International Airport are enraged that a contract to offer security services at the Kotoka International Airport, has been awarded to a Nigerian security firm, Pathfinder International.
But the Executive Director of the company has denied the claim saying it is a Ghanaian firm with a Nigerian partner.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citifmonline.com/Ghana