Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s trade, agribusiness and industrial base, pledging sustained support for the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry and promising to push for faster approval of incentives needed to attract investment and accelerate industrial growth.
The assurance was given during a working visit to the Ministry where the Vice President met the Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, alongside directors, staff and heads of agencies under the Ministry. The visit forms part of broader engagements with key ministries to assess their work, challenges and support needs, with particular attention to ministries led by women.
“I came to see the work you are doing, what is happening, and how we can better support you. We are here to encourage you, appreciate you and assure you that we are committed to helping you do even more for the country,” the Vice President stated.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang praised the Ministry’s focus on local production, value addition, women and youth empowerment, and its efforts to position Ghana to fully harness its natural resources and industrial potential. She stressed the importance of inter-agency collaboration, cautioning against siloed operations and urging institutions to work together to speed up national development.
She cited initiatives aimed at securing raw materials locally, including efforts to grow rubber for tyre manufacturing and revive the sugar value chain, noting that such projects generate employment across farming, processing, packaging and distribution. The Vice President also commended the renewed emphasis on Made-in-Ghana goods, describing local production as essential to economic resilience and self-sufficiency.
“If we all come on board and work together, we can build a very productive country and make a real difference,” she added.
The Vice President further welcomed the Ministry’s focus on women-led enterprises and youth employment, describing it as critical to inclusive growth, and encouraged agencies such as the GRATIS Foundation to cut imports by empowering more Ghanaians to produce locally. She pledged to prompt the Minister of Finance to expedite approval of incentives and policies required to unlock investment and scale up industrial expansion.
Earlier, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry outlined the Ministry’s performance over the past year and its plans for 2026 and beyond, citing reforms to reduce the cost of doing business, revitalise manufacturing and expand agribusiness through commercial contract farming and value-added production.
Ofosu-Adjare identified limited access to raw materials as a major constraint, with many factories operating below capacity, and said the Ministry is addressing the challenge through land acquisition for commercial farming, backward integration and targeted support for agro-processing.
She announced key milestones, including the extension of export proceeds repatriation from 60 to 120 days, deeper participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), expanded access to global markets through trade fairs, and the drafting of policies covering manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, automotive components and special economic zones.
The Minister disclosed that land has been secured and engagements held with farmers to revive the Komenda Sugar Factory, expected to be operationalised in 2026, alongside plans for new garment factories and agro-processing plants projected to create thousands of jobs, particularly for women and young people.
“Your visit has encouraged us greatly. It tells us that our work matters and that we are being supported at the highest level. We are committed to doing even better,” Ofosu-Adjare said, while commending the Vice President for her leadership and inspiration to young girls across the country.
The visit ended with renewed commitment from both political leadership and staff of the Ministry to deepen reforms, strengthen local industry and work collaboratively to drive Ghana’s economic transformation.
