The President of the Association of Ghana Industries, Dr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke, says manufacturing firms that have been hit by the government’s rollback of the compulsory Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) policy would have to quickly find new opportunities.

According to him, even though the manufacturing of PPEs had proven very profitable, it was never expected to be a long term venture.

He stated that businesses caught unawares by the President’s declaration would now have to find a way to get rid of any excess PPEs in their possession while they retool their operations for new opportunities.

Speaking on PM Express Business Edition, he said, “That is why when you walk in to do any business you scan the environment. That duty will not fall on the President to do that for you. So the action of the President, to him he has a bigger agenda that he’s managing.

“You take advantage of opportunities, some will take advantage of circumstances or phenomenon to create wealth. So if you do not calculate your activities well and the circumstance expires, there will be some casualties that you cannot run away from it.

“So we only pray that those who had invested heavily into some PPEs hopefully by now would have thought of how to dispose some, sell it out, donate them, and such product you do not overstock it such that you manage your stock reasonably,” he said.

“I don’t believe I’m saying it wrongly but I believe there will be a few casualties, but I pray that some of the gains they made over the period, the exponential gains, can be good reserves for them to look into other space of engagement.

“Because we did say in the early days of covid that PPEs will be a short term intervention or operations unless otherwise a number  of them will need to retool and reshape their operations,” he added.