Government has renewed its push to reposition Ghana’s garments, textiles and agro-processing industries as engines of industrial growth, employment and exports, with a pledge to back local manufacturers with policy support and guaranteed markets.
Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, outlined the strategy during separate working visits to Precious Textiles and GB Foods Ghana Limited in Tema, aimed at assessing operational capacity and identifying constraints facing domestic producers.
At Precious Textiles, the minister said the administration of President John Dramani Mahama is prioritising the revival of the garments and textiles sector, noting that a draft national policy for the industry has already been prepared.
“In 2026, this government is high on garments and textiles. We want to make sure that even as we plan to establish three new garment plants in Ghana, existing factories like this are supported to operate at full capacity,” she said.
She disclosed that Precious Textiles is operating at about 30 percent capacity, despite modern equipment and skilled management, largely due to weak access to markets.
“What they need is markets. If they get contracts, you will see many of these idle machines working and more people employed. We must stop outsourcing when our local factories are struggling,” she said, adding that government will prioritise local garment manufacturers for supply contracts, particularly for security services and other state institutions.
Ofosu-Adjare said with consistent demand and policy backing, local factories could be repositioned to manufacture for international brands and compete in global markets.
Earlier, during a tour of GB Foods Ghana Limited, the Minister praised the company’s production standards, safety systems and sustainability practices.
“The standards here are top-notch. From the laboratories to the processes the tomatoes go through before they reach the market, you can see the effort that goes into ensuring quality,” she said.
She described the company’s expansion into commercial farming and backward integration as critical to Ghana’s industrialisation drive.
“They are entering into commercial farming, producing their own tomatoes, ginger, pepper and other raw materials locally. This is how we capture the full value chain, create jobs for farmers, transporters and processors, and truly industrialise,” she noted.
The Minister said GB Foods’ ambition to source between 90 and 100 percent of its raw materials locally aligns with government policy, while exports to Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire are helping to earn foreign exchange.
“Ghana must be the hub for industrialisation. With our stable democracy and the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama, this is the right place to manufacture and export across West Africa and the continent, especially under the AfCFTA,” she added.
Factory Director Philip Wellington said GB Foods operates across Europe, the Americas and Africa, with its Tema plant serving as a regional hub for tomato-based products and cooking ingredients.
The 31,000-square-metre facility employs about 650 workers, with women making up 36 percent of the workforce, and produces more than 34 products under brands including Gino, Pomo and Didi Shito for domestic and export markets.
Wellington said the company has invested in solar power, water treatment, energy-efficient lighting and advanced safety systems, noting that the factory has recorded more than 912 days without an accident and meets all local and international certification standards.
Also speaking, the Director for Institutional Affairs and Agribusiness for Africa, J. Teddy Ngu, said GB Foods plans to deepen local sourcing through large-scale tomato farming.
“We have about 6,000 hectares earmarked for tomato production, with plans to combine company-owned farms and out-grower schemes involving crops such as tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic and turmeric,” he said, adding that pilot farming has begun and tomato products have already been exported from Ghana to Burkina Faso.
He called for sustained policy support to make local production competitive, describing the Minister’s visit as timely.
The Minister concluded by assuring manufacturers of government’s readiness to partner with industry to expand production, boost exports and create sustainable jobs.
