A Senior Lecturer at the Economic Department of the University of Ghana (UG) says the business environment in the country is difficult for industries to operate.

According to Dr Priscilla Twumasi Baffour, the nature of the business environment also makes it difficult for businesses to thrive.

"If you look at GTP, they have the reputation of producing quality products but the moment they invent innovations and put their products out there, you have traders who are taking their samples abroad to bring in similar similar patterns at cheap rates.

"….And the bottom line is the business environment and it must be said that the environment within which these firms operate is very difficult,” she said.

This, in an interview on JoyNews’ Newsfile on Saturday, she noted contributes to the high cost of products, even though imports come at a cheaper rate.

“If we are very serious about employment creation, the very known hanging fruit is agro-processing. What are we doing? Light manufacturing like textiles-look at the poultry sector, the reputation is there.

"On average, every Ghanaian want a locally produced chicken because they know that they are of good quality.. the demand exists but people cannot afford it because the farmers are also producing at a very high cost,” she said.

Her comments come after some business operators in the country listed a number of changes they are faced with.

She also lamented the low productivity in the industrialisation drive.

According to her, Ghana has not been intentional about the sector.

He also noted that the sources of growth recorded in the country are not also monitored.

She added although the country invests in capital expenditure, “we have not been intentional in linking productive activities to some of this infrastructure development.”