President John Dramani Mahama said Ghana is seeking to build an industrial, high-productivity economy by increasing local value addition in agriculture and mining while using the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand intra-African commerce.
Addressing the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mahama said Africa should not remain a supplier of raw materials while industries elsewhere capture the bulk of the value and jobs generated from the continent’s resources.
“Critical mineral extraction must not replicate colonial-era exploitation,” Mahama said. “We will process our minerals at home, build local industries, create dignified jobs for our youth, and retain the value of our natural resources.”
The push for domestic processing places value addition at the centre of Ghana’s economic strategy, particularly as the country seeks to use its agricultural and mineral resources to support industrial growth.
Mahama described the AfCFTA, whose Secretariat Ghana hosts in Accra, as an engine for intra-African trade, structural transformation and industrial growth.
The president said Ghana’s domestic industrial strategy is being supported by the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme and the planned “New Ghana, New Economy” policy.
“Through our flagship 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, and the soon-to-be-launched ‘New Ghana, New Economy’ policy, we are transforming Ghana into an industrial, high-productivity hub,” he said.
The government, Mahama said, is incentivising round-the-clock commercial operations while promoting value addition in agriculture and mining.
“We are incentivising round-the-clock commercial operations, driving value addition in agriculture and mining, and creating sustainable, dignified jobs for our vibrant youth and women,” he said.
The strategy is also being linked to infrastructure spending under the government’s Big Push Programme.
Mahama said the programme will build roads, expand digital connectivity and construct schools and health facilities, with the aim of opening up the country, bridging the rural-urban divide and unlocking agricultural potential.
The president presented the industrial agenda alongside what he described as an economic turnaround under his administration, citing restored growth, lower inflation, currency stability and a reduced public debt burden.
He said the economic recovery must ultimately translate into greater economic opportunity for citizens.
The industrial push also comes as Ghana prepares to assume the chairmanship of the African Union in January 2027.
Mahama said Ghana will use the position to champion continental integration and accelerate implementation of the AfCFTA, alongside efforts on peace and security and Africa’s representation on the global stage.
The president said Africa’s large population, arable land and critical minerals provide the foundation for stronger economic participation, but stressed that the continent should retain a greater share of the value generated from those resources.
The strategy reflects Ghana’s broader push to shift from commodity production toward processing, industrialisation and expanded intra-African trade.
