Ghana’s printing industry is excited as the government’s plan to reserve textbook printing for local firms is set to create jobs and grow the economy.
According to the Ghana Printers and Paper Converters Association (GPPCA), the policy shift championed by President John Mahama could boost employment in the sector by up to 40%, reduce capital flight, and reposition Ghana as a regional hub for print and packaging services.
“Ideally, the industry could increase employment rates by about 40 percent if they were awarded significant volumes of printing contracts that currently are sourced from abroad,” the Association said in a statement.
The GPPCA believes this long-overdue directive marks a turning point in Ghana’s industrial policy, particularly within a sector often overlooked despite its potential to generate jobs, tax revenue, and sustainable local value chains.
Plugging Capital Leakages, Building Industry Muscle
Ghana has historically outsourced a significant portion of its educational printing contracts to foreign firms, draining millions of cedis from the local economy and stifling growth within domestic printing presses. The new textbook policy seeks to reverse this trend and retain production value within Ghana, stimulating industrial demand and workforce expansion.
The GPPCA is also calling for complementary reforms to sustain the momentum, including:
Removal of pre-production tariffs and levies on raw materials used in printing;
Strict enforcement of the 2005 Textbook Policy, mandating that 100% of government textbook contracts go to local companies;
Elimination of tax exemptions on finished printed imports such as boxes, jackets, and packaging materials;
Passage of a legislative instrument to compel all public institutions to source printed and packaging materials locally.
A Regional Print Powerhouse in the Making
With consistent policy backing and market confidence, the Association envisions Ghana becoming a competitive print and packaging hub for West Africa, servicing not just domestic educational demand but also attracting regional publishing, export packaging, and commercial print contracts.
Industry Backs Mahama’s Bold Directive
The Association has applauded President John Mahama’s administration for taking decisive action to empower local printers, calling the directive “a long-overdue move to transform education and empower local industry.”
In a time when the government is seeking to stimulate inclusive industrial growth and reduce reliance on imports, this policy is being viewed as a model for how targeted procurement reforms can unleash domestic capacity, generate employment, and retain national wealth.
With the right support, Ghana’s print and packaging sector may soon go from idle presses to full production printing not just textbooks, but a new chapter in Ghana’s industrial resurgence.
