As most people in Ghana figure out ways to deal with the overwhelming financial crisis facing the nation, Made-In-Ghana Campaign Ambassador and singer, Emelia Arthur, says one of the means to ease the strain is for all to patronize made-in-Ghana goods and services.
Ms Arthur who also hosts the Ghana Kitchen programme on Homebase TV, said it was time for everyone to move beyond empty rhetoric and practically embrace the produce of our own sweat and toil to save ourselves from some of the anguish we are now experiencing.
As a first step toward encouraging everyone to grasp the made-in-Ghana spirit, she has appealed to all dealers in all sorts of made-in-Ghana goods and services throughout Ghana to reduce their prices on December 21, 2022.
To her, such an action would be a massive demonstration of goodwill to enable the populace exhibit support for made-in-Ghana stuff.
“We must acknowledge the fact that freedom also entails some amount of sacrifice. We are all crying about the hardship in the system now so this is a humble appeal to dealers in locally-made goods and services to reduce their projected profits for December 21, even if by a small margin. That can help whip up the interest of our people to go for what’s ours on the day,” Ms Arthur pointed out in an interaction with the media.
“We have adequate substitutes for many of the things we import. So, let’s help create the condition for our people to patronize local goods for the countless economic benefits we stand to gain from such an action.”
Made an official Made-In-Ghana Campaign 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.
She has taken her advocacy to churches, mosques and market places over the years.
She sincerely believes the effectiveness of the campaign will help create more jobs, improve physical infrastructure and ensure growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).
Ms Arthur also urged all to cook and consume their favourite Ghanaian dishes in their homes on December 21.
Even if not cooking at home and buying from any kind of eatery, Ms Arthur encouraged the consumption of something Ghanaian.
Her Ghana Kitchen programme on Homebase TV always offer viewers a chance to savour nutritious, appetizing made-in-Ghana dishes.
She said people dressing Ghanaian on the day would be a perfect way to showcase their appreciation of Ghana as a blessed land that must be cherished at all times. Ms Arthur requested all to join hands with her to make December 21 every year a made-in-Ghana day.
“The various media outlets have daily spots for different programmes. My plea with each of them is to highlight the point for dealers in made-in-Ghana goods and services to reduce prices on December 21 and also for everyone to patronize made-in-Ghana food and clothing on the day,” Ms Arthur stated.
