Minister for Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen has said that the New Patriotic Party's One-District One-Factory policy has decentralised industrial development and brought it to the doorstep of Ghanaians.

Speaking at the Nation Building Updates organised in Accra through a virtual platform, he said the 1D1F not only brings about decentralized industries but also creates sustainable jobs for people to earn income.

“1D1F has helped us to decentralized industrial development to bring industries to the doorstep of every Ghanaian, 90-95% of our enterprises are located either in Accra or in Tema, this is not sustainable and that is why the 1D1F is important,” he said.

According to him, this creates jobs and helps to reduce poverty in the country.

“You cannot reduce poverty without creating jobs which allow people to earn income, if you earn income, you reduce the level of your poverty," he said.

Mr. Kyerematen applauded the Akufo-Addo government initiative of reducing the urban-rural migration by providing work for the youths and decongesting the population in Accra.

"If you are in your village and there is something useful going on, what business do you have in flocking to Accra or Kumasi to go and hustle looking for a non-existing job when you know you can be gainfully employed in your village?" he quizzed.

Mr. Kyerematen expressed concern for the state of survival in Ghana if the One District One Factory (1D1F) was not introduced by the Akufo-Addo-led administration.

According to him, this initiative among others will increase industrial capacity and productivity for Ghana to produce commodities and merchandise which hitherto would have been imported.

"How can you survive in a country where literally you are importing everything? By increasing industrial capacity and productivity you're going to be able to produce things that you ought not to be importing," he said.

The Minister for Trade and Industry assured Ghanaians that the Akufo-Addo administration has plans to move Ghana from an Agrarian economy to a more industrialized one.

"It is not a matter of chance that the most powerful economies are most industrialised, and Ghana, we aspire under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo to become a global power in industrialisation one day."