This country attained political independence 65 years ago on March 6 and Made-In-Ghana Ambassador, Emelia Arthur, says one of the best ways to mark that momentous period is to uphold Ghanaian products and services throughout the month of March.
She is of the opinion that patriotism entails standing up for activities and processes that enhance national development and trusts March is an appropriate time to express love of country.
“The importance of independence will always ring in our minds so long as we remain Ghanaians. So, our passion for locally manufactured products must rise and serve as a major drive for economic growth and prosperity,” said Ms Arthur at an interaction with the media in Accra.
Made an official Made-In-Ghana Ambassador by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in January 2016, Ms Arthur has since been an active campaigner in support of the manufacture and patronage of local goods to help create more jobs, improve physical infrastructure and growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Apart from being a gospel singer, Ms Arthur also hosts the Ghanaian Kitchen on Homebase TV where she emphasizes healthy cooking with Ghanaian produce. She has spoken in churches, mosques and marketplaces for better patronage of local enterprises and services.
“Radio, television, print and online outlets have daily spots for sports, entertainment, politics, international news, education, health and other sectors. My plea with each of them is to include a daily spot for Made-In-Ghana products or services,” Ms Arthur stated.
She urged banks to make capital more accessible to local producers and also asked state outfits to lean more toward local content in their procurement processes. The Made-In-Ghana Ambassador appealed to local producers to always be mindful of the quality of what they put out since a single dissatisfied consumer could translate into the loss of many more.
On the other hand, she stressed, a happy consumer could also tell other potential customers and increase business for the producer. “I think what people really desire is quality stuff and not necessarily foreign stuff. People tire so much to make money, so it is up to manufacturers to also do their best to offer items that make consumers happy.”
Her estimation was that the overall quality of Made-in-Ghana products was getting better all the time and that brands fare well on the international market when patronage and support for the items were high in their countries of origin. “We have adequate substitutes for many of the things we import. So, let’s patronize local goods for the countless benefits we stand to gain from doing so,” Ms Arthur added.
