One-year Lockdown of Economy is the Radical Plan of Hassan Ayariga to Boost Local Production

All People's Congress Presidential Candidate Hassan Ayariga has made a somewhat contentious proposal to declare an economic "lockdown" in Ghana for a year if the people elect him during the 2024 general elections. On Channel One TV's Face to Face, Ayariga reiterated the need to expunge the system from the reliance of Ghana on imported goods with the hope of driving the country toward self-sufficiency.

His plan envisions turning Ghana into a manufacturing hub that would replace heavy reliance on imports with local production and consumption. He said this drastic measure would stabilize the cedi, increase productivity, and create employment for Ghanaians. He stated that the current consumption pattern of virtually everything, including food and clothes, being imported is what stifles economic growth and has contributed to devaluation.

The APC candidate explained that the economic lockdown would make Ghana "eat what we produce and produce what we eat." He intends to launch a 24/7 manufacturing hub to make Ghana self-sufficient. Once the imports are stopped, Ayariga envisages a change in production and consumption culture that will lead to economic independence.

To critics, this may sound like an extremist proposition. He believes this is the only way Ghana will attain long-term economic stability by drastically changing its reliance on imported goods.

For Ayariga, it is an audacious plan, one that is bound to stir debate, not in the least among businesses reliant on imports. His emphasis on self-reliance, however, and producing goods domestically taps into a growing desire for economic transformation in Ghana. Precisely whether that approach will resonate with voters remains to be seen as the election draws near.