The Jospong Group of Firms’ (JGC) choice to spend money on the rice sector has been hailed as a “nice booster” in direction of the federal government’s imaginative and prescient of making certain that Ghana turns into a web exporter of rice.
In response to the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, this choice by JGC was not solely ‘well timed’ however extra importantly, illustrates the genius of a Ghanaian entrepreneur, “and we commend Dr. Siaw Agyepong for that.”
“We’ll again this choice with the varied authorities inter-ministerial monetary assist in a practical means in order that we will encourage extra folks to take this place that you’ve got taken,” he gave a agency assurance.
Mr. Ofori-Atta made the remark when a delegation of buyers from Thailand, led by the Government Chairman of the JGC, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, and the Honorary Consul of Ghana in Thailand, Dr. Sicha Singsomboon, paid a courtesy on the Finance Minister on Friday, December 30, 2022.
The affiliation and collaboration between JGC and Thailand rice business, he continued, was in the best route, including that it ought to set off a metamorphosis of Ghana’s rice sector.
“We will turn out to be exporters of rice and never importers inside the interval of three years and that may be a dedication,” the finance minister optimistically expressed.
Moreover, he advised the companions within the Ghana-Thailand rice mission to make sure that the collaboration advances manufacturing, intensive analysis, and the information that Thailand brings.
“It also needs to present worth addition and market linkages and self-sustained fashions,” he added.
To this finish, Mr. Ofori-Atta assured the mission of presidency’s sturdy assist to make sure its success.
“We’re resolute and decided to catalyse the operations of companies corresponding to Jospong Group of Firms to propel the financial transformation and development of our nation,” he underscored.
Within the agency view of the Finance Minister, it was so prison for Ghana to have a lot arable lands, water, and beneficial climate circumstances, but proceed to import over two billion {dollars} price of rice.
“Since 2017, we’ve spent over one million {dollars} importing rice. What’s extra embarrassing, is {that a} nation like Ukraine exports about 74 million tons of grains regardless of the present battle, and also you surprise why Ghana and Africa have fallen asleep,” he lamented.
He, due to this fact, identified that this development have to be curtailed, indicating that this was not the legacy the Akufo-Addo-led authorities would need to go away.
“So let’s proceed to advertise the non-public sector management and be certain that this turns into a factor of the previous.”
He careworn that the Ghana Cares Obaatanpa programme is one key initiative by the federal government to mitigate the present financial challenges bedevilling the nation.
It’s the imaginative and prescient of President Akufo-Addo to make use of a well-capitalised growth financial institution to push such initiatives, he famous.
In a quick comment, the Government Chairman of the JGC, Dr. Siaw Agyepong, mentioned venturing into rice manufacturing wanted expertise and the technical information to extend yields, thus the necessity to woo buyers with the best expertise and mechanical property into Ghana.
From the ministry of finance, the Thai delegation known as on the Minister of International Affairs and Regional Integration, Ms. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, and the latter assured them of her ministry’s full assist to make sure the profitable implementation of the mission.
She was notably excited to listen to the delegation of Thai buyers have plans to arrange an natural fertiliser plant in Ghana.
Such a transfer, she intimated, will assist enhance agriculture manufacturing and likewise scale back the operational value of Ghanaian farmers.
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