However, the government was not being complacent but was continuing the pursuit of prudent and pragmatic measures to consolidate the gains and find solutions to some of the challenges confronting the economy.

Mr Tekper made these remarks at the opening of the 56th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) in Kumasi on Wednesday. The meeting was under the theme “Growing local industry for development and job creation”.  The Finance Minister said the government was living within its means, while working to bring interest rates down and restructure taxes and tariffs, stabilize power supply and improve industrial outputs.

He said the establishment of the Ghana Exim Bank by the government was aimed at making credit facilities easily accessible to many exporters, and promote standards in production as well as open up the export market.  Prof. Stephen Addai, former Rector of Ghana Institute Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), who spoke on the role of Technical Universities to the Growth of Industries and Job creation, called on the government to give attention to human resource development.

 “We cannot go far unless human resource improves”, he stated.

Professor Addai, also called for improved productivity in industry and agriculture and be mindful of environmental sustainability, to accelerate progress towards achieving the sustainable development goals.

He mentioned activities of illegal miners (Galamsey), which was causing environmental degradation, saying they were destroying the lands and causing harm to human beings.Prof, Addai stressed the need for strategic decisions and actions to grow industry to expand exports and create more avenues for job creation.

He said effective collaboration between government, industry and academia was needed to produce high level technical personnel for the job market. Mr John Alexander Ackon, Ashanti Minister, said the AGI had contributed in improving the private sector and comprehensive industrial growth to enhance expansion in exports. He assured that the government would remove all bottlenecks affecting the private sector and create conducive atmosphere to ensure sustainable industrial growth.

This, he said would ensure large scale production to boost the economy.

Mr James Asare Agyei, President of AGI, called on the government to ensure that sustainable measures were instituted to improve the economic output of the country.

He said energy supply was critical to the operations of the private sector and called on the government to review the high tariffs, which were rendering businesses uncompetitive. Mr Agyei said the implementation of industrial policy to resuscitate the private sector had been poorly managed and called for the institution of appropriate measures and resources for its full implementation.

He hinted that the AGI was strengthened relationships with the diplomatic missions in the country to create opportunities for members for partnerships in the export of local goods.