Aspiring General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former Deputy Ambassador to China, Dr Charles Dwamena, has called for a sustained national commitment to industrialisation, urging successive governments to build on existing initiatives rather than abandon them when political power changes hands.
Dr Dwamena, popularly known as Dr China, said Ghana’s industrial transformation would require continuity in policy and stronger support systems for young entrepreneurs, particularly graduates seeking to establish businesses.
He argued that the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative introduced under the Akufo-Addo administration should be sustained and expanded as part of a broader strategy to create jobs and strengthen local production.
Speaking to Umaru Sanda Amadu on Channel One TV’s Face to Face on Tuesday, September 8, Dr Dwamena said Ghana should treat industrial development as a long-term national project rather than a programme tied to a particular political administration.
“I would encourage the president to continue what the Akufo-Addo administration started, the One District, One Factory. I would encourage him to continue to promote the industrial drive,” he said.
According to him, one of the critical gaps Ghana must address is access to capital for young people who have the skills and ambition to establish businesses but lack the resources to get started.
Dr Dwamena said lessons from China demonstrated how government-backed financing, technical support and industrial infrastructure could help young people become producers and employers instead of remaining dependent on formal employment.
“These are things that I’ve seen the Chinese do, and these are things that have yielded benefits for the Chinese,” he said.
He proposed a broader support system in which young entrepreneurs could gain access not only to funding but also to industrial zones, equipment and technology needed to operate competitively.
He explained that government support could include equipment leasing arrangements and technology-transfer programmes, allowing young businesses to begin operations without the heavy capital requirements associated with purchasing machinery outright.
“If it’s equipment, you can lease equipment. If it’s technology, you can have technology transferred to you. You need to be the driver of that initiative, and that’s all you are required to do,” he said.
Dr Dwamena maintained that Ghana had already taken important steps towards industrialisation, even if the results had not yet matched the expectations of citizens.
He therefore urged the government to strengthen what had already been established instead of starting afresh with every change in administration.
“If we continue, at least the foundation has been laid; the industrial revolution has commenced. As to whether it has taken off in the manner in which we want, that’s a different discussion altogether. But something has been done. We need to build upon it as a country,” he said.
He expressed optimism that consistent investment in industrial infrastructure, entrepreneurship and technology could help Ghana accelerate its economic transformation and gradually narrow the development gap with leading Asian economies.
For Dr Dwamena, the key to achieving that objective lies in ensuring that industrialisation policies survive political transitions and receive sustained investment over the long term.
