The standard required for imports into the country will by May next year undergo review, President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated.
According to him, the current economic conditions demand that Ghana concentrates more on the imports sector, which has been the major producer of goods and services.
He noted the government needs to take stringent measures to discourage the importation of goods by reducing dependency on foreign produce and “plant what we eat.”
It is for this reason President Akufo-Addo’s government seeks to review the import standard and management of foreign exchange reserves.
The President enumerated such items as rice, poultry, vegetable oil, tooth picks, pasta, fruit juice, bottled water and ceramic tiles, and others.
He also made a case for self-reliance through the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative as demanded by the overarching goal of creating a Ghana Beyond Aid.
President Akufo-Addo made the comments while addressing the nation on measures government is taking to help alleviate hardship on Ghanaians in the midst of economic downturn.
In a bid to achieve the intended target, he noted farmers and domestic industries including those created under the 1-District-1-Factory initiative will be receiving the needed support .
“That is why we have to support our farmers and domestic industries, including those created under the 1-District-1-Factory initiative, to help reduce our dependence on imports, and allow us the opportunity to export more and more of our products, and guarantee a stable currency that will present a high level of predictability for citizens and the business community.
“Exports, not imports, must be our mantra, Accra, after all, hosts the headquarters of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area,” he added.