John Dramani Mahama, the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has expressed his intentions to impose import restrictions on specific essential commodities if he wins the December elections.
Based on current data, imports of goods and services contribute approximately 40 percent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
During a meeting with members of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in Accra, Mahama stressed the importance of enacting legislation to support local businesses.
He detailed plans to rejuvenate strategic industries like the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), with a focus on the downstream aluminium sector.
The former President emphasized that by enhancing local production capacities for various items, his administration would introduce restrictions on unchecked imports of these goods.
“We work to revamp and reignite strategic industries such as Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) because of the downstream aluminium sector while boosting the production of rice, sugar, tomato, fish, poultry, meat and meat products, vegetable cooking oil, and pharmaceutical products.
“Once local capacity in the production of these and many other products is increased and boosted, we shall place restrictions on the unbridled importation of these items.”
