Some 170,000 jobs have been created by companies under the government’s ‘One District, One Factory’ (1D1F) Programme, President Akufo-Addo has said.

Delivering his seventh State of the Nation Address in Accra on Tuesday, he said the policy had led to the development of 321 1D1F projects.

The number, he said, comprised projects by 211 new medium to large-scale factories and support for 110 existing companies to expand production.

He said the government, between 2019 and 2020, had approved a number of incentives and duty exemptions to selected companies to support the implementation of the 1D1F Programme.

“In 2019 and 2020, thirty-seven (37) 1D1F companies were granted 25 exemptions approval by this August House (Parliament). However, from 2021 to date, no exemptions have been granted.”

The President, therefore, urged Parliament to “consider and approve all outstanding exemption applications as a matter of urgency to send positive signals to the business community.”

He said the 1D1F programme was the “cornerstone” towards the country’s industrial transformation and “demonstrates how government can stimulate and incentivise the private sector to expand and diversify manufacturing across the country.”

“It is significant to note that, within the relatively short span of six years, the Government has directly intervened to stimulate interest in and support many private sector business promoters to make significant investments in manufacturing under the One-District-One-Factory Programme.

“…These business promoters have so far invested in one hundred and forty-two (142) districts across the country, across all sixteen (16) regions, and achieving 54% district coverage. The aspiration is to bring a 1D1F project to every district,” he stated.