24 Hour Economy: Gov’t Urged to Prioritise Local Garment Industry

Sunyani: Mckenzie Ghana Limited (MGL), a Sunyani-based garment manufacturing company, has called on the government to prioritise the local garment industry in the implementation of the 24 Hour Economy. According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Michael Asare Yeboah, the Managing Director of MGL, stated that with a little push from the government, local industries could expand, create more job opportunities, and widen the nation's tax net, thus contributing to a resilient economy. In an interview at Sunyani, Mr Yeboah highlighted that despite MGL's procurement of modern industrial machines, the company could not absorb and train more youth due to limited training space. Established 31 years ago, MGL has offered free employable skills training to thousands of young people, even providing employment to many. As the largest garment manufacturing company in the Bono Region, MGL previously operated 24/7, running three shifts daily. However, the cancellation of contracts for local manufacturers supplying Senior High Schoo ls with uniforms and PE kits nearly collapsed the company. Mr Yeboah emphasized the need for government support to expand the company, noting that while they had no issue with industrial machines, a larger space was necessary to train more youth free of charge. He expressed that as a native of Sunyani, his aim was to contribute to job creation and poverty reduction among young people interested in employable skills training. Mr Yeboah regretted the lack of support from successive governments for MGL's expansion over the years. He called for the intervention of President John Dramani Mahama to enable the company to further support the youth. He also pointed out that high interest rates made borrowing unsustainable, thus underlining the urgency for governmental intervention in acquiring a spacious training facility.