The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) says it would continue to engage government to ensure that government goes by its promise to use public procurement to support local business. Government has indicated it plans to restructure the procurement system so that more local firms would be chosen to undertake its projects. But not many of these laudable initiatives get to be implemented. However the President of AGI, Tony Oteng-Gyasi has told Joy Business that the association has been pushing for the policy and would keep talking to government to ensure that it becomes a reality. “We believe in evidence-based advocacy and we’re discussing these things with government. We’ll continue to do so in the normal fora that we use, both private and public,” he said. Mr Oteng Gyasi said moves by government to restructure procurement laws to give more business to local firms should help develop the capacity of industries. On the issue of local industries often losing out on huge government contracts to foreign firms because of their inability to deliver on time and price, the AGI president said the current procurement laws which make it discretionary for some content should be made mandatory. He said this would gradually build local industries’ capacities to deliver on time. Source: Joy Business/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana