The People’s National Convention (PNC), the opposition party, has backed the government’s proposal to limit the importation of specific commodities and items.
“We firmly believe that this policy should be treated as a national issue rather than a point of contention between the NPP and the NDC,” the party stated in a statement released on Wednesday, November 29.
The statement, signed by General Secretary Janet Asana Nabla, maintains that the initiative would create work for the country’s teeming unemployed youth.
As a result, the continued disagreements between the two major parties will only hamper development.
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It was claimed that people opposed to the initiative profited covertly from importers of these items.
Find the full statement below:
The People’s National Convention (PNC) applauds the government’s intention to lay down a CI mandate in Parliament aimed at restricting the importation of certain products into the country. We firmly believe that this policy should be treated as a national issue rather than a divisive matter between the NPP and NDC.
The ongoing disagreements between the two major political parties only serve to impede progress, while the Ghanaian youth suffer the consequences. Without drastic measures, job opportunities will remain a mirage for our youth whether it is PNC, NPP or NDC that is in power. Countries like India and Nigeria have successfully taken bold decisions to limit imports, enabling them to provide employment for their
young population. We firmly believe that no nation can develop by relying on imported goods for survival.
However, we anticipate opposition from individuals who benefit from these importers or who have personal stakes in importation. Some politicians and prominent figures may use every available platform, including the media, to speak out against this policy for their own benefit.
We urge the government to be transparent about the current level of local production and how the allocated percentage for importers will be utilized to dispel any doubts.
We again commend that, it is imperative for the government to create a preexisting market for grain farmers similar to what exists for cocoa producers, in order to encourage more young people to engage in farming. Government should make it mandatory for both the school feeding program and the Free Free Senior Schools (SHS) schools to eat locally produced food this will end up boosting our local production.
The PNC calls on civil society organizations, the Ghanaian youth, religious bodies, and freedom fighters who advocate for the welfare of the youth to exert pressure on Parliament to pass the CI. Parliament must remember the youth who lined up at polling stations to vote for them and prioritize their interests.
We must be willing to endure some hardship for the greater benefit. Unless decisive actions are taken, there will be limited job prospects for our young generation. When Japan initially began manufacturing, its citizens had limited choices but persevered through their mistakes, resulting in significant improvements.
A PNC government in the future will go even further by completely banning the importation of all products that can be produced locally to prioritize job creation for our motivated and aspiring youth.
