The outbreak of the coronavirus, which has brought the world to a standstill, should serve as a wake-up call to Ghanaians to invest in the local economy.
Chairman of the Afigya-Kwabre South Constituency of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Odeneho Kwaku Appiah, who stated this, said the outbreak of the disease, which had led to the closure of ports, borders and restrictions on the movement of people worldwide, should encourage all Ghanaians to invest and produce our own goods and services.
Speaking with Ghana News Agency in Kumasi, he said the global pandemic, which had also halted import and export of goods and services should remind us to take hold and invest in the local economy.
Odeneho Appiah said it was time wealthy Ghanaians made significant investments in the health sector by assisting to provide infrastructure and equipment in community and local health facilities to improve health care delivery in the country.
He said efficient and effective health care system was what was required in times like this, to take good care of the people.
Odeneho Appiah appealed to the private sector to take advantage of the government’s one district, one factory policy to invest in local manufacturing of products in order to reduce the country’s over-dependence on foreign imports.
“Expanding and increasing local production to feed ourselves is what is needed now. This is what can sustain us as a country in times like this,” he stated.
He said it was time Ghanaians took advantage of the pandemic to innovate and increase the manufacturing and production base, while people also appreciated and use what was produced in the country.
Odeneho Appiah also urged party executives to make good use of technology to organize meetings and discuss important issues affecting the Party.
“Now that we are all indoors, we should make good use of technology to campaign,” he stressed.
Odenoho Appiah further appealed to financial institutions and service providers to expand their e-platform services to enable people access their services through their mobile phones in this restrictive period.