{"id":373864,"date":"2017-11-16T07:30:20","date_gmt":"2017-11-16T07:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=373864"},"modified":"2017-11-16T07:30:20","modified_gmt":"2017-11-16T07:30:20","slug":"npps-special-economic-transformation-program-to-kick-off-in-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/11\/npps-special-economic-transformation-program-to-kick-off-in-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"NPP’s ‘Special Economic Transformation Program’ to kick off in 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
The government has announced a special\u00a0initiative called the \u201cAkufo-Addo Program for Economic Transformation (AAPET)\u201d, as a major intervention for job creation, infrastructure development and accelerated investment in Agriculture.<\/p>\n
AAPET will envelope two already-existing special initiatives\u00a0being implemented by the Akufo-Addo administration; the\u00a0Planting for Food and Jobs and\u00a0One-District-One Factory.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”pzHwekwARIgF32ycJUtzaHEnrtdpbCKL”]The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta, delivering the budget statement in Parliament, explained that AAPET is envisioned “to modernize agriculture, improve production efficiency, achieve food security and increase profitability for our farmers.”<\/p>\n
It is a three-pronged economic development programme that will accelerate investments in agriculture, strategic infrastructure and industrialization.<\/p>\n
The government intends\u00a0to “invest in the entire agriculture and agribusiness value chain to create new business and job opportunities in the sector,” Mr. Ofori Atta said.<\/p>\n
“Government will also invest in infrastructure that supports the opening up of the major agricultural zones of the country, in energy and related infrastructure to accelerate the industrialization agenda of Government. Significant investments will be made in the road and rail sectors of the economy to facilitate trade and the movement of goods and people, he added.<\/p>\n
AAPET has also made provision\u00a0for a grant funding facility for agribusiness\u00a0startups, with support from the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Plan.<\/p>\n
Infrastructure-wise, some 35 bridges and roads, will also be constructed over the next three years under this initiative. The government will also construct 99 steel bridges under this policy.<\/p>\n