10,603 jobs created under 58 one district, one factory projects

Government says its flagship one district, one factory industrialization policy has led to the creation of about 10,603 direct jobs through the implementation of more than 50 projects.

A list of companies currently in operation under the flagship policy shows that 58 companies are involved in different sectors of the economy ranging from pharmaceuticals, agribusiness or agro-processing, among others.

The companies provide about 60,000 in indirect jobs, according to the list of 1D1F companies sighted by Citi Business News. The biggest employer on the list is B5 Plus Limited in Ninog Prampram which employs 1,900 people and is into the production of steel and related products.

Projects on course.

Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, earlier this week revealed that the programme has so far witnessed about 200 companies that are at various stages of implementation.

The projects, Mr. Kyerematen said, cover a spread of 112 districts in the country.He further explained that the list includes 58 companies and projects already in operation and 26 projects under construction.Speaking at a lecture organised by the Danquah Institute on the theme: “Industrializing Ghana Beyond Aid for an Integrated Africa,” the Trade Minister said government envisages that the 1D1F initiative will generate a total of about 200,000 jobs.Apart from the 1D1F projects, he stated that 58 Small-scale processing factories that are being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) in all the 16 regions across the country is expected to commence before the end of the year.Mr. Kyerematen stated that these processing facilities are to be owned and managed by Graduate Youth who have been organized into groups under an innovative corporate structure known as the 1D1F ENABLE Youth programme.The Minister revealed that the Ministry has completed the screening of all 16,770 applications from Graduate Youth who expressed interest in the programme adding that this component of the 1D1F initiative will create new young dynamic entrepreneurs across the country