Editorial
IMPORTANCE OF 1D1F
When the government, under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, first announced that it was going to promote a programme known as One District One Factory (1D1F), a section of the public felt that this was not going to achieve anything.
On the contrary, the 1D1F programme has proved successful and is being undertaken in various parts of the country.
The President recently returned from the Northern part of the country where he inaugurated tomato and watermelon factories under the 1D1F.
Apart from the North, other parts of the country are also experiencing the positive impact of 1D1F.
Under the programme, a $16 million-tomato factory has been inaugurated by the President in the Berekum West District of the Bono Region.
Government, through Ghana EXIM Bank and Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), facilitated the acquisition of the loan facility to support the establishment and operations of the factory concerned which is owned by Weddi Africa Limited.
The good news is that the company is a wholly-owned Ghanaian entity. The 1D1F is, therefore, a reality and thereby helping to transform the economy of Ghana.
More of the factories under the 1D1F programme are needed in the country to maximise the benefits it can unleash for the economic growth of the country.
The tomato factory in Bono Region, for example, will process some 40,000 metric tonnes of fresh tomatoes per annum and will have also a 500 metric-tonne cold room to store fresh tomato fruits.
This, together with other benefits, such as employment of the youth in the area will help to transform the economic fortunes of the country.
For this reason, people must sit up and render their support to the government in uplifting the economic integrity of Ghanaians.
This is the only way economic development can be realised or put on a higher pedestal.
Editorial
Merits and demerits of scraping betting tax
Dear Editor,
Over the past years, a lot of concerns have been raised about the rise of sports betting companies in the country, their operations, and how it impacted negatively on the youth of the country.
I have also witnessed how some of the youth go to the extent of borrowing money from friends or use companies’ money to stake bets, which they were not guaranteed of winning.
Due to this, I was happy when the previous government introduced the betting tax, as I felt it would deter the youth from engaging in it.
However, some Ghanaians hold the view that the betting tax would help create employment.
It wasn’t surprising to see the excitement that greeted the announcement of the scrapping of the tax by the Finance Minister.
My worry now is how, as a country, the youth can be discouraged from engaging in betting.
I believe that as the betting tax has been scrapped, it is about time that the government finds ways of addressing the issue of betting among the youth as it is becoming more serious than before.
I believe that there should be a multi-stakeholder engagement between the various stakeholders to proffer solutions to address them.
Editorial
Rail crossing point at circle- Kaneshie road needs attention
Dear Editor,
I read with happiness a letter published in the previous edition about the poor state of the rail crossing stretch of the Circle-Kaneshie road.
I totally agree with the concerns raised by the writer and I wish to add my voice to the call on the authorities to quickly work on that stretch of the road.
What the writer left out was the occasional happenings when vehicles break down on the rail line. I have witnessed that before.
It is not a comfortable thing driving on it at all. It is a huge dent on the beauty the interchange was expected to bring to the area.
The traffic it creates is a major inconvenience to people who are rushing to work.
I wish to appeal to the authorities to quickly do something about that portion of the road to make it convenient for drivers. Thank you for the space.
Maxwell Amamoo,
Odorkor
