The newly elected Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), for Ashanti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions, Mr. Kwasi Nyamekye, has said he is poised to push for government policies that promote local business growth.
While outlining his vision for the regional branch of the AGI, he noted that some existing government policies do not favour local businesses.
Particularly, he said when people import goods, which are also manufactured or produced in Ghana, they should not be tax exempted.
As the government could raise some revenues by taxing these imported things, it will in the long run become a disincentive for people to continue to import them.
This, he said among others that it will contribute to the growth of local businesses as well as promote made in Ghana products.
Mr. Nyamekye is also hoping that interest rates could be lowered to help businesses to seek funding.
As the Ghana CARES Programme is targeted at supporting the private sector to become a powerful engine for job creation in Ghana, he said this must be made realistic and sustained.
Furthermore, he stated that the government’s plans to set up a bank to provide credit to businesses should be expedited, with funding made assessable and affordable to businesses.
The founder and Chief Executive of Vester Oil Mills Limited, a seed oil processing and extraction company, in Kumasi, has taken over as the new Chairman of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) for Ashanti, Bono, Bono East and Ahafo Regions.
He succeeds Mrs. Gyamfua Owusu Akyaw who served two successful terms as the Chairperson of AGI for the four Regions. He also served as the Vice-Chairman during the immediate past administration and also an executive member for AGI for the last 4 years.
Mr. Nyamekye has served in different capacities including being the chairman of the Regional Trade Committee on three occasions for Regional Trade Fairs.
He assumes the office of the AGI chairmanship with varied experience in numerous disciplines having also travelled worldwide to acquire experience in industrial work.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Metallurgical Engineering with a specialization in mineral processing and extractive metallurgy.
His vast working experience includes working with Bogoso Gold Limited, Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited, Ashanti Goldfields Bibiani Limited, all in Ghana, and Geita Gold Mine in Tanzania.
As an entrepreneur, Mr. Nyamekye holds an Executive Master degree from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He has attended lots of industrial training relating to both his current and previous work.
Kwasi has undertaken lots of research works including bacteria detoxification of cyanide waste in gold mining.
He currently is the AGI liaison officer on the AGI/KNUST Industry and Academia partnership.
He has grown Vester from a family started business to a multi-million-dollar company of which his family is a majority shareholder.
He has led Vester Oil to install a 100 ton per day solvent extraction plant and a 20 ton/day batch refinery to add value to its crude soya oil. Vester Oil Mills Limited is one of the leading soybean processors in Ghana under his leadership.
He is currently leading the company to install a state of the art 5 ton/hour fish and poultry feed plant to produce, especially fish feed locally.
Mr Kwasi Nyamekye was born on August 14, 1968, and is married with four children.
