Made in Ghana goods are products that are locally made in Ghana. There are a lot of commodities locally produced in Ghana. Some include asanka bowls, woven kente cloth, duraplast water tank, princess cocoa butter, GTP wax print, malta Guinness, Unilever Omo washing powder, Kumasi made slippers, and sandals, Vehicles made by Sarfo Kantanka, furniture, and many others.
It is very frustrating that most Ghanaians don’t patronize their own goods but rather disregard and patronize foreign-made products. Ghanaians have thrown their culture away because they think their culture is outmoded. This is because of the kind of product imported to the country.
Again, most Ghanaians take most goods made in their country as inferior products as compared to foreign-made products. They have a certain mindset that most of the things brought from outside the country like shoes, hills, bags, dresses, cars, fridges, watches, and many other products are of quality. For them, they have used and seen that foreign products are the best and they will continue to purchase them.
Mr. George, a student lawyer said, ” I have a particular belief about foreign-made products being of higher quality as compared to the locally- made products.” For example, when we are talking about shoes, I know Adidas is more qualified than all companies doing or making shoes in Ghana.” As Mr. George said, goods made in Ghana tend not to last long as compared to foreign-made products therefore Ghanaians will continue to depend on foreign goods.
Most Ghanaians even go to the extent of traveling outside the country to purchase items like bags, shoes, make-up artistries, wigs, clothes, and other complements just for their weddings and other special occasions. What is funny is that these foreigners do appreciate Ghana locally made goods like bags designed with African-made cloth and beads as well, slippers, their woven kente cloth, and many others and also appreciate her own but a Ghanaian man will tell you African wears are things of the past. When are we going to appreciate our own as Ghanaians?
When Ghanaians start to appreciate their own, it is going to make the economy stand fit. This is because the money is going to remain in the country and there will be no exchange of currency. It will increase the revenue of the producers and as well as the country. A lot of people will be employed to reduce social vices like robbery, crime and improve the standard of living of employees, and reduces the burden of government. The Gross Domestic Products (GDP) will grow immensely.
I got the chance to interview one student journalist who goes by the name Gifty Amoah and she said that she will prefer made-in Ghana products over foreign products. “I prefer made-in Ghana products because if you patronize and use Ghanaian goods, it boosts the economy and we tend to get some source of funds from it. She continues that ” most of the things we use here in Ghana are imported and mostly the made in Ghana ones are considered of low quality, so if there is majority made in Ghana goods out there, I will prefer made in Ghana goods but since most foreign goods are dominant right here in Ghana and they are less expensive, I buy foreign goods more than made in Ghana goods.
One great industrialist, Sarfo Kantanka can be supported by the government and even advertise and publicize his products. The government can decide to purchase cars and other products produced by him and used by public officials and this will help Ghanaians purchase them without thinking of it. If we have a great person like him in the country, why don’t we use him to develop the country? How many Ghanaians do purchase Sarfo Kantanka’s product? When we lose him, that is where people will start to use big vocabulary to talk about him.
Mr. Evans a trader said that “The only way we can build our nation is to purchase made-in Ghana goods, therefore being over-dependent on others won’t help as a country.”
It is time Ghanaians come together as one to help promote and accept made-in Ghana goods because there is a saying that little drops of water make the mighty ocean. It is never late for a country to change its mindset and develop its country.
Addo Oforiwaa Abigail
Student Journalist
Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ)
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