Unilever to support Akufo-Addo gov’t; hints of establishing palm oil industry

• Posted on February 23, 2017
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Unilever Ghana Limited has declared its readiness to support the Akufo-Addo-led government to achieve its set goals. Chairman of the Board of Directors of Unilever Ghana, Mr Edward Effah, who pledged the company’s support said  they would partner the government to establish a world-class palm oil industry in Ghana.

He said this when he led a nine-member delegation of the largest producer and retailer of consumer goods in Ghana, to call on Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to congratulate him on his assumption of office as President of Ghana. Mr. Edward Effah observed Akufo-Addo’s decision to create the enabling environment for the private sector to flourish and bring about competitiveness for businesses, is the surest way towards creating wealth and prosperity for the people of Ghana. He noted that government’s ‘Planting for Jobs and Food’ initiative is a laudable one, which he said informed their decision to partner the government to establish a world class oil palm industry in the country.

Present at the meeting was Yaw Nsarkoh, Executive Vice President of Unilever Ghana-Nigeria, who praised President Akufo-Addo for his clarity of vision regarding private sector development, as evidenced in the 2016 manifesto of the New Patriotic Party and the 2017 state of the nation address. He also added that Unilever intends to build an industrial powerhouse in Ghana in the coming years. On his part, President Akufo-Addo was grateful for the words of support from the leadership of Unilever and their desire to cooperate with his government to help return Ghana onto the path of progress and prosperity.

The President was confident that with the support and co-operation of industry players, and the effective implementation of government’s policies and programmes, Ghana’s economy will once again, be a major force to reckon with on the continent. Describing the country as a “wealthy nation”, President Akufo-Addo added that the “proper management of the economy will see the wealth of nation being manifested in the lives of the citizenry.” With his government’s economic focus hinged on “getting the productive sectors of the economy working again”, the President urged Unilever to consider relocating their production units back to Ghana. These production units were moved by Unilever to neighbouring Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria over the last few years, as a result of the unfavourable economic conditions prevailing in the country.

“We will do our best to create an enabling environment so that we can facilitate the inflow of investments into our country. Ghana should be at the centre of producing things again in the region and on the continent,” he said. Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen, who was also present at the meeting said it was reassuring that “Unilever is inspired by the President’s vision”, stressing that government will offer the necessary incentives to the private sector with the aim of industrializing the country”. Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, Yofi Grant, assured that one of his major objectives will be the removal of bottlenecks to operations and a reduction of the huge administrative costs bedeviling the establishment of businesses, so as to make businesses operating in Ghana more competitive.

-3news