A former deputy minister for Trade and Industry has said the government’s One-District One Factory (IDIF) project is not a good approach to making Ghana an industrial hub.
Mr Hagan said he finds the policy as one that was not well thought-through because it was impossible for the government to establish a factory in every district.
READ ALSO: Kweku Adoboli welcomed home with ‘family party’ [Photo]
His comment follows the Finance Minister’s claim that about 70 factories under the 1D1F are at various stages of completion.
The framework for the policy is to establish a commercially viable private limited liability company with growth potential in the district with the objective of promoting economic growth and creating jobs for the citizenry.
Mr Ofori Atta had informed parliament that his government has invested heavily in the project to ensure Ghana becomes an export, instead of an import-dependent country.
READ ALSO: A-G presents ‘evidence’ of Woyome’s ownership of properties
But speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem Friday, Hon. Ricketts Hagan said 1D1F did not make “sense”.
“Unless maybe we want this one to follow some of the previous special initiatives, which we bragged about but failed, this won’t make any significant impact on the people,” he stated.
Hon. Ricketts Hagan who is also the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast South in the Central Region said the best approach to industrialising is for government to select some districts with unique characteristics and make them industrial hubs.
READ ALSO: Mortuary man explains why more youth die lately
The former Trade Minister said most of the supposed feat chalked by government is not the true reflection on the ground.
“We are always talking about numbers but we are not seeing the tangibles on the ground,” he added.
Ricketts Hagan stressed that the 2019 budget which is supposed to give hope to Ghanaians did not resonate with the ordinary people.