Ghanaians have been challenged to seek home-grown solutions to help the nation emerge from the global financial crisis stronger.

“After all countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, etc took advantage of the Asian crisis of the 1980s to propel their economies to the heights which they have reached.”

The Director of EKGS Culinary Institute at Dansoman in Accra, Mrs Efua Goode-Arthur, threw the challenge at the 21st Graduation ceremony for 102 students from the institute on Sunday, at the National Theatre in Accra under the theme, The Global Financial Meltdown: Ghana’s Culinary Industry in Perspective.

She said since Ghana is no island to the harsh realities of the economic crisis that has seen well-established companies filing for bankruptcy, “…we here cannot say that what is happening is beyond us.”

She said while Ghana has not felt the harsh ramifications yet, there are indications that some of the consequences are hitting the nation already, including muted foreign remittances to Ghanaians back home.

Mrs Goode-Arthur was hopeful that Ghana can turn the global financial crisis to its advantage and be recognized for efficiency if it concentrates on its competitive advantage, saying that “we must continue to do what we do best and leave other things to others who have advantage in those areas.”

“In Ghana, we have access to quality fruits all-year round. It is my considered opinion that instead of exporting these fruits - pineapples, pawpaw, oranges, etc - in their raw form, we can add value to them here to earn more and at the same time create employment opportunities for our teeming youth who leave school every year.”

Mrs Goode-Arthur said it makes no sense economically importing all manner of fruit juices packaged as drinks when the nation has abundant fruits but which are allowed to go waste year-in year-out.

“Indeed, it is disheartening to see all manner of agricultural produce go waste during the harvest season, only for us to spend huge sums of money on them during lean seasons. This is what can be summed as misery in the midst of plenty. If we want to come out of the global financial crisis unscathed, we must avoid this practice and rather focus on making the most of what is available here, what God, in His infinite wisdom, gave to us.”

Graduands grateful

She said one other way to salvage the culinary industry would be to "eat what we grow and can what we can't," explaining that if Ghanaians patronized local foods satisfactorily, it would encourage farmers to grow more, thereby reducing the cost of food and at the same time reduce food imports.

Mrs Goode-Arthur also called on government to support the capital intensive culinary industry with credit facilities for the procurement of equipment or to school graduates as seed money to set them up in these trying times.

The EKGS Culinary Institute runs courses in Cake Making and Decorating with Sugar Craft; Balloon, Ribbon & Floral Decor Art; Cookery Arts and Pastry Arts. All the 102 students were awarded certificates, with deserving ones receiving special awards for leadership and for being the best in their courses. Mrs Veronica Asman was adjudged Overall Best Student of the 21st graduating class.

Ms Angela Desouza, leader of the graduating class, on behalf of her colleagues expressed profound gratitude to the institute for creating the enabling environment for the acquisition of skills and said but for a flexible fee payment terms and weekend classes, majority of her colleagues would not have had the space nor finances to enroll let alone complete courses.


Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com