Government is working hard to create a conducive atmosphere that will support manufacturing sector.

That is the only way of developing the economy and creating jobs at a faster pace, Robert Ahomka-Lindsey, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, has said.

Speaking at the 2019 edition of the annual Ghana Manufacturing Awards, Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay noted that an economy based on export of raw material hasn’t got much of a future; and that economy must change from one based on raw materials to one based on value addition, production, industrialisation and export.

“That is what everybody else has done, and Ghana must hold its own. Currently, we have single digit inflation, and we now have a law in place that makes us behave in terms of fiscal discipline; and we have ensured that we are in an environment where we understand very clearly the importance of macroeconomic stability.

“Ghana will be the fastest-growing economy in the world and that helps in terms of manufacturing. Government’s role is to fix the environment to be amenable, conducive and supportive of a manufacturing environment,” he said.

He noted that when one is clear in what one wants to do, then you begin to make decisions; because the decisions one makes in manufacturing are not six-month or three-month turnovers.

“You will not build brick and mortar if you believe tomorrow morning we’re going to wake up and change our minds, so the strategy has to be clear, concise and to the point,” he stated.

Mr. Ahomka-Lindsay urged manufacturers to do more and position their sector as the provider of what Ghana can confidently trade with other countries in Africa and the rest of the world.

“We don’t want to trade any more cocoa beans and gold; we want to trade finished products, we want to trade products that have greater value – and in so doing we create more jobs for people. If we do not trade by having products which have value added to them, simply put, as a country we will never create enough jobs to satisfy the hundreds of thousands of young people that are looking for them,” he said.

The event, organised by Xo-Dus Communications, aims to celebrate innovation in the manufacturing industry with the ultimate aim of compelling professionals and companies to compete locally and globally. Some 32 companies and individuals were honoured at the third edition of the awards held at the Kempiski Hotel in Accra.

Executive Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, Samuel Amo Tobin, has been adjudged Best Entrepreneur of the Year 2019; while CEO of GIHOC Distilleries, Kofi Jumah, was awarded CEO of the Year. Coca Cola Bottling Company won Non-Alcoholic Beverage Manufacturing Company of the Year while Voltic Ghana won the Brand of the Year award.

The rest are roofing manufacturing company of the year, Rockstars Roofing Systems; paint manufacturing company, Sterling International Company; fabrications company of the year, Hammah Engineering; premix ready mix concrete manufacturer, Jelcem; concrete products company of the year, Empire Concrete; secure and intelligent document manufacturer, ICPS; beverage manufacturing company of the year (non-alcoholic), CocaCola; and beverage manufacturing company of the year (alcoholic), Kasapreko.

Others are manufacturing innovations award, Polytank; best growing manufacturing company; Royal Crown Packaging; emerging brand of the year, Twellium; water producing company, Bela Aqua; plastics manufacturing company of the year, Century Industries; bottling company of the year, CocaCola; packaging product manufacturing company, Fon Packaging Ventures; plastic manufacturing company (PET reforms), Sintex; product packaging company (rubber), Poly Products; marketing campaign of the year, Twellium (Rush Energy Drink); pharmaceutical manufacturing company, Phytoriker; and steel manufacturing company, B5 Plus.

Paper and paper products manufacturing company, Jay Kay Industries; plastic manufacturing company bottles and containers, Kane-em; beverage manufacturing company herbal liquor, GIHOC; export manufacturing company of the year, Sterling International; product of the year, Verna Water; excellence in CSR, Kasapreko Company; excellence in health, safety environment and quality, Jelcem; brand of the year, Voltic Ghana; plastic manufacturing company (industrial category), Poly Tank; and promising manufacturing company of the year, Fabrimetal Ghana.

For special awards, personality of the year was CEO B5 Plus; pioneer excellence in manufacturing, GIHOC; indigenous manufacturing company, Fon Packaging; woman of excellence award, Emelia Adjei; biggest research and pharmacy training, Entrance Research; lifetime achievement award, Jagdish Lakhiani; CEO of the Year, Kofi Jumah, GIHOC; entrepreneur of the year, Samuel Amo Tobin, Tobinco; leadership achievement award, Moses K. Baiden; and manufacturing company of the year, Kane-em Industries.

Source: thebftonlin.com