Former President John Dramani Mahama believes that Ghanaians have what it takes to turn the country’s economy around if they consume more locally produced food including ‘gobe’ (beans and fried plantain).
He was optimistic that the economy will get better if the citizenry consume whatever is produced locally.
“Unfortunately, that project also stalled with the advent of the Akufo-Addo administration.
A resurrection of all these projects and ideas will not only create jobs for our youth and other able-bodied Ghanaians but will in the medium-term help Ghana attain and consolidate its status as a middle-income country.
We must plug the loopholes in our gold export industry to reap better returns from this extractive activity that is causing so much destruction to our environment.
It is trite knowledge that the figures we capture in respect of our gold exports are far lower than the quantity of the metal that leaves our shores.
Better accountability in this sector can yield hundreds of millions of dollars more for the national kitty.
“It is said that desperate times call for desperate measures. There is no denying that we are in desperate times. While responsibility for the difficulties we face lies with the Akufo-Addo
and Bawumia government, there are things we can do as citizens in our own small way to minimize the suffering we are going through and help Government turn the situation around.
“A good way to start will be to regulate and minimize our expenditure by sticking to only the things that we really need. As much as possible, we need to acquire and sustain a taste and preference for locally manufactured products. If we must buy consumables or food products, let us choose that rice or chicken that is produced locally so that it doesn’t become necessary to find millions of dollars to import the same items.
“Let us consciously eat more of our local foods like yam, and local grains. cassava, beans, local fruits, and vegetables. That way, we reduce demand for foreign currency, reduce the pressure on our currency and boost domestic production to create a win-win
situation.”
The former President also advised the citizenry to cut down on non-essential foreign travel and cut down on expensive foreign products in their homes.
“If there ever was a time to be thrifty, this is it! Even after an IMF programme has been agreed upon, the austerity of the next few years is going to be severe.
We save scarce family resources and use them for only the most priority expenditure,” Mr. Mahama said when speaking at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) on Thursday, October 27, 2022.
He expressed optimism that “together we can save Ghana and build the Ghana we want regardless of how bad the situation is. I still have hope that we can turn things around. Wholeheartedly, I believe in the resilience of our people.”
The NDC 2020 Presidential Candidate, therefore, urged the country’s security agencies to “remain loyal to the state and the constitution. The current economic situation does not give excuses to engage in any unconstitutional acts, we can turn the situation around.”
Ghana is facing economic challenges just as other countries are also doing.
The local currency, the Cedi is performing poorly against the Dollar.
By Vincent Kubi