Mr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, a presidential aspirant of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) says when he is elected as President all state functions under his leadership will serve locally made dishes and drinks.
The move, he explained, would be a good example by the state for the citizenry to emulate, help boost the local economy by reducing imports, and attract investors to export and earn the nation foreign exchange.
“It is not the best to serve foreign officials from countries such as France, Britain, Germany, United States of America and Denmark with wine made from their respective countries during state events,” he said.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra, to share his perspectives on ways of improving the country’s economy, Mr Spio-Garbrah noted that, locally brewed beverages, including palm wine, pito, bisasap (sobolo) and asana (locally made beverage from maize) would also be served at high-level state receptions.
He said in the spirit of economic transformation and self-reliance, all institutions, including schools and government (security agencies) canteens would be required to eat locally grown rice.
Mr Spio-Garbrah stated that a strong national advocacy would be mounted to orient people on the need to eat locally grown produce, especially rice, to provide jobs and help the economy.
He explained that an earlier initiative aimed at whipping interest of the public to patronize locally made produce, “the made in Ghana initiative” under his leadership, in the immediate past NDC government, did not yield the needed results due to financial constraints, laws and administrative lapses.
Touching on the challenges in the educational infrastructure, which had compelled the government to adopt the double track system, Mr Spio-Garbrah said the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) over the years, had failed to mobilize resources from other sources to augment the tax proceeds.
The Former Trade Minister said the government could source for funding from institutions such as the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to embark on the infrastructure development.
“Few may have political programmes but there are grants valued at trillions of dollars in the philanthropic environment that could be accessed to support GETFUND operations such as the free SHS. This kind of funds cannot tie the country down,” Mr Spio-Gabrah said.
The GETFund he said had a good track record including building schools, awarding scholarships to qualified students and access grant from other non-governmental organization.
He suggested that government should source for funding from philanthropic institutions and individuals without any strings attached instead of borrowing with interest from countries like China that affects inflation, budget deficit and other economic fundamentals.
“If there are these kinds of funds why will our government resort to borrowing and plunge the country into huge debt. Borrowing has a negative impact on the economy,” he said.
Source: GNA
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Another gyimiii politician. Ne ***barred word*** de3, cne obiara ns3. You can cook akple, jollof, konkonte, akaw, bod3edwo, aprapransa and serve akpeteshie, pito, palm wine, you still remains a f00l and a failure. Your NDC primaries self you will never win. A f00l for president.
Will the diplomatic core be at the state function? Also, how many people attend state functions? So this your vision for Ghana, desperation at its best. Your vision is well noted, we will all vote for you
So this is Spio's big idea for us...really? Well the most popular local drink in this country is Akpeteshie. Spio, you can recommend it to your NDC leadership to be served at your congress. You could also consider pito and brukutu. If your NDC leadership accepts the idea and starts implementing it, we might consider your big idea. Note that if you fail to convince your leadership to adopt your idea, you have already failed in our eyes.
ah this man should elevate the level of our politics. Serving local food and so what?
Why is this man disturbing us like this when he is wasting our time.
This is a very good idea. In Thailand they serve local dishes at the airport. Unfortunately for you (Spio) you cannot even go beyond your Party's primaries. Go serve your sobolo at home wai
THESE NDC PEOPLE HAVE NOTHING TO OFFER GHANAIANS.THEY HAVE NO VISION TO UPLIFT GHANAIANS FROM OUR PREDICAMENT.IF THIS IS HIS POLICY OF NATION BUILDING THE GHANAIANS WE MUST BEWARE.HE IS THINKING OF NOTHING PROGRESSIVE OTHER THAN THE BENEFITS OF STATE FUNCTIONS. I PRAY NO ONE EVER VOTE FOR THIS GOOD FOR NOTHING PARTY FULL OF THIEVEEEEES AND IDIOTSSSS.
Mr Talkative in your own house you do not eat and serve your children with local dishes.You were the minister of trade did ever suggest to the hotels in Ghana to serve only Ghanaians dishes?. That is where this idea of serving local dishes should start from.My advice to you is, please do not use your looted money on your presidential ambition because Mahama will win hands down to spoil your party chances of coming to power again.
You think Presidency is food. Woa ala.
You were with the corrupt P(NDC) for a long time ..... what have you achieved? For votes seek you are promising something you cannot do....