The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Upper East Regional Communications Officer, Abdallah Jonathan Salifu, has praised government’s push to add value to Ghana’s natural resources, saying the country must move away from exporting raw materials.
Speaking on Dreamz FM’s Breakfast Today programme, Mr. Salifu said recent measures in the cocoa, oil and gold sectors could help strengthen Ghana’s economy by creating more opportunities locally.
He cited government’s decision to process cocoa beans locally, refine crude oil domestically and establish the Gold Board as steps that could reduce Ghana’s dependence on foreign exchange from traditional sources.
According to him, processing resources locally will ensure that Ghana benefits more from its natural wealth instead of exporting raw materials and importing finished products.
Mr. Salifu also commended private sector investments in gold refining, saying the development would create more value for Ghana’s minerals.
He argued that countries on the African continent must focus on technology and industrialisation to compete globally.
Mr. Salifu further praised the government’s efforts to stabilise the economy, pointing to the management of gold reserves and reduced reliance on external borrowing as positive developments.
