Dr. Edward Mahama, Presidential flag bearer of the People’s National Convention (PNC), on Friday said his administration would create a research and development fund to support activities of research institutions in the country. Taking his turn at the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) presidential candidates encounter in Accra, Dr. Mahama said the fund would help research institutions to translate indigenous scientific findings into commercial ventures to enhance the industrial capacity of the country. Premising his statement on; “Creating African Industrial Giants”, he said there could not be development without industrialization, adding that, his government would usher in the “Golden Age of Increased Productivity” in areas of agriculture and industry to create jobs for the youth. Dr. Mahama said an agro-based industry shall be firmly established to anchor the country’s industrial take-off which was going to be enabled by the exploration of the oil-find. Describing the industrial sector as a risky endeavour, the PNC presidential candidate attributed the influx of foreign goods into the Ghanaian market to low productive nature of the economy. Dr. Mahama said a PNC government would maintain a proactive and caring partnership with the country’s industrial community and fashion out ways to cushion local industries during hard times. He said the PNC would work with utility providers to ensure reliable and efficient supply of services to boost industrial productivity and reduce the hassle Ghanaians experienced as a result of shortage in supply of utilities. Dr. Mahama said the PNC was assisting farmers in land preparation, seed and weedicide supply, management of post-harvest storage and marketing to improve productivity. Mr. Tony Oteng-Gyasi, President of AGI, said the association believed that employment and income generation were the panacea for poverty eradication. He said ECOWAS protocols on trade had been abused by some miscreants to unleash criminality on the industrial sector. Mr. Oteng-Gyasi cautioned against underestimating “smaller parties,” saying they could pull a surprise, especially if they had good messages as the electorate was interested in a party that could better their lot. He called on all political parties to submit their manifestoes to the AGI to study and know their policy stance. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Dr Mahama and Mr Oteng-Gyasi committing a PNC government to launch an industrial policy within the first year, foster development of small and medium scale enterprises and pass an Industrial Development and Competition Bill in the first 100 days. Source: GNA