The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has called on Ghanaians to prioritize patronizing locally manufactured products to help create jobs for the youth and strengthen the country’s economy through private sector growth.

According to him, Ghana’s continued dependence on imported food products is exporting employment opportunities to other countries while local producers and processors struggle to expand their operations.

He made the remarks during a working and familiarisation visit to P & A African Food International Ltd, where he commended the company for its investment in agro-processing and promotion of African indigenous food products.

Addressing the management and staff of the company, the Minister stressed that supporting made-in-Ghana goods is a collective responsibility that directly impacts national development and employment creation.

He revealed that Ghana spends nearly $3 billion annually on food imports, a situation he described as worrying, considering the country has the capacity to produce and process many of the products locally.

He noted that many Ghanaians complain about unemployment while simultaneously choosing imported products over locally manufactured alternatives.

He argued that such decisions weaken local industries and deny businesses the opportunity to expand and employ more people.

He, however, praised young entrepreneurs venturing into agriculture and agro-processing, describing the sector as one of the greatest pathways to wealth creation.

Operations Manager of P&A African Food International Ltd, Benjamin Okyere, appealed to the government for financial support for local industries.