Trade and Industry Minister Hannah Tetteh has emphasized the importance of banks and other financial institutions in the growth of the manufacturing sector. The minister was reacting to the recent provisional Gross Domestic Product estimates released by the Ghana Statistical Service. Though industry grew by some 7 percent, manufacturing’s contribution to the sector has been minimal raising concern amongst industry watchers. According to the Trade Minister who was addressing a section of the media ahead of the ministry’s meet-the-press session at Ministry of Information Thursday, the major challenge of the manufacturing sector still lies with access to finance. She said the make-up of the sector requires long to medium term credit which most of the banks are unwilling to provide. Madam Tetteh says even though the Export Development and Investment Fund was established for this reason, the banks have done little to promote it. Source: Joy Business/Ghana