A Political and Economic Policy Analyst, Dr. Eric Bempong, has called on government to strengthen policies that promote local production, stressing that Ghana’s economic growth depends largely on its ability to develop and utilize its productive capacity.
Speaking in an interview with Kofi Boakye on Nkwantannanso on Opemsuo Radio, Dr. Bempong said the concept of specialization and comparative advantage in international trade requires countries to focus on producing goods they can produce more efficiently than others.
“A country’s ability to stand on its own depends largely on its local productive capacity and how well it develops it. In international trade, there is a concept known as specialization and comparative advantage,” he explained.
He noted that comparative advantage allows countries to concentrate on goods they can produce with greater efficiency and exchange them with other countries for goods they cannot produce as effectively.
“For example, if Ghana can use five hours of labour to produce five bags of cocoa while Nigeria uses the same five hours to produce only one bag, it means Ghana has the comparative advantage in cocoa production, so Ghana should specialize in producing cocoa,” he said.
Dr. Bempong, however, expressed concern that Ghana has not fully capitalized on sectors where it holds a clear advantage, noting that the country continues to import many products that could be produced locally. According to him, this situation weakens local industries and limits the growth of domestic production.
He added that the situation often leads to the perception that Ghanaians are unwilling to work, but insisted that the real issue lies in the lack of adequate opportunities and enabling conditions for productivity.
“Ghanaians are not naturally lazy; the issue is that the enabling environment and opportunities are often not available for people to work and produce as they should,” he stated.
Touching on the Nkoko Nketenkete initiative, Dr. Bempong described the programme as a positive step toward boosting local poultry production and reducing imports.
“The Nkoko Nketenkete initiative is a welcome idea. If the programme has been introduced and implemented, it should involve the existing local poultry farmers in the country so they can produce on a massive scale,” he said.
He explained that increasing local poultry production would help reduce the country’s reliance on imported poultry products while creating employment opportunities for many Ghanaians.
Dr. Bempong further urged government to introduce stronger policies that promote the local production of food, clothing and other goods consumed within the country, noting that heavy importation often creates jobs in foreign economies rather than in Ghana.
He concluded by encouraging national leaders to use available resources and opportunities to strengthen Ghana’s economy, adding that Ghanaians are ready to work if the right policies and opportunities are created.
Source:
opemsuo.com
