Give Us Room To Implement The Industrialisation Agenda - AGI

Dr Yaw Adu Gyamfi, the President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), has pledged to forge an extensive collaboration with government, policy makers and regulators to ensure the effective implementation of government's industrialisation agenda.

Speaking at the investiture dinner for the AGI President and national council members on Thursday night, Dr Gyamfi said the Association would do its best to ensure the realisation of the' One District, One Factory' industrialisation policy and urged government to give the Association the chance to see the execution of the programme.

'It is my considered opinion that this industrialisation programme along with a 'Buy Made in West Africa campaign' is crucial for addressing the problem of unemployment, particularly among the youth,' he said.

The investiture held on the theme: 'Effective Regional Integration for Industrial Development,' saw representatives from trade associations in the West Africa sub-region in attendance, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

Also in attendance was the special guest of honour General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar, Former President of Nigeria and Mr Traore Kalilou Ecowas Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Promotion.

Addressing the theme of Regional integration, Dr Gyamfi said it was the only means to resolve the unemployment problem in the West Africa sub-region, adding that the current slow pace of co-operation was hurting all economies in the bloc.

He said there was the need for all countries within the sub-region to work together to ensure the benefit of investments and a common big market to facilitate exports.

'The whole region is likely to continue to lose jobs to the tigers of Asia unless we learn to work together,' he said, adding that there was the need to encourage governments to coordinate industrial policies in the ECOWAS region.

Dr Gyamfi said AGI on its part planned to work with other Manufacturer Associations in the sub-region, especially Nigeria to promote investment, collaboration, training and trade for the benefit of ECOWAS.

He said the AGI would continue to engage stakeholders in its effort to help build the economy and called on government to lend its full support by creating the enabling business environment through the implementation of the 70 per cent local procurement, enforcement of business regulations to prevent importation of sub-standard products, among others.

In his keynote address, Dr Frank Udemba Jacobs, President Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, called on governments in the sub-region not to lose sight of the industrial development agenda for which ECOWAS was set up.

He said there was also the need for governments within the region to wield the necessary political will to reject trade agreements, which would derail the foundation of industrial development within the bloc.

There was also the need to fast track common standards to ensure products were accepted in the markets of others.

Dr. Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, the AGI President, is Founder and President of the Danpong Group of Companies in Ghana. He is the Group CEO for both Danadams Pharmaceuticals Industry (Ghana) Limited and Danadams - Bakai Pharmaceutical Industry (Nigeria) Limited.

Until his election as president, he was Vice President (large-scale) of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), and he is 1st Vice President of the Ghana Employers Association (GEA). He also serves as a Commissioner on the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, and is a former Board Chairman of the Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company and the Ghana Pharmacy Council.

Dr. Gyamfi holds a Doctorate degree in Pharmacy from Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, and is a fellow of the West African College of Postgraduate Pharmacists. He has also completed an Executive MBA degree at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He obtained two Bachelor of Science degrees in both Chemistry and Mathematics from Clark-Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A.