The Chamber says Ghana must move beyond relying on local companies as importers and distributors of mining supplies to building their capacity to manufacture equipment, inputs and other products required by mining operations.
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr. Ken Ashigbe, said procurement accounted for more than 60 per cent of the value generated in the mining industry, making it a critical area for Ghana to improve its economic returns from mineral extraction.
He said the country stood to gain more if a greater proportion of mining companies’ procurement expenditure was channelled into locally manufactured goods and services rather than imported products.
Majority, over 60 per cent of that goes into procurement. And so how do we ensure that we are not exporting the value out, but we are retaining that particular value?” he said.
Dr. Ashigbe made the remarks in an interview on the sidelines of a civil society dialogue on Ghana’s mining resources organised by the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) in partnership with the Ghana Chamber of Mines in Accra.
The dialogue, held under the theme, “Ghana’s Mining Fiscal and Revenue Governance Architecture: Is Ghana Maximising Value from its Mineral Wealth?”, brought together industry players and civil society organisations to examine how Ghana could derive greater economic benefits from its mineral resources.
Dr. Ashigbe said the Chamber was considering ways to bring international suppliers and Ghanaian companies together to establish joint ventures that would facilitate technology transfer, local production and skills development.
Under the proposed arrangement, foreign suppliers could provide the technology and technical expertise while local companies and communities contribute resources and business capacity to support manufacturing activities in Ghana.
He said such partnerships would allow Ghanaian businesses to participate in higher-value activities instead of limiting their involvement to importing products and reselling them to mining companies.
He explained that the Chamber was incorporating discussions on value retention into its strategy for the coming years, with particular attention to procurement practices and opportunities for local businesses.
Fiscal policy and investment
On the fiscal framework governing the mining industry, Dr. Ashigbe said Ghana needed to maintain a balance between maximising government revenue and creating an attractive investment environment.
He noted that international benchmarks, including the International Monetary Fund’s average effective tax rate assessments, placed Ghana towards the upper end of the relevant threshold for government revenue from mining.
He said the issue was therefore not simply about increasing taxes but also ensuring consistency and predictability in the country’s fiscal policies to encourage sustained investment.
The challenge even around the fiscal is not just the high levels, but the issues around consistency and predictability,” he said.
He maintained that discussions on the mining sector’s contribution to national development should consider the entire value chain, including procurement, local employment, manufacturing and the utilisation of revenues received by government.
Dr. Ashigbe disclosed that members of the Chamber’s large-scale mining sector contributed more than GH¢24 billion to government in taxes in 2025.
He said it was important for the country to ensure that such revenues were managed effectively and invested to provide lasting benefits.
Call for long-term mineral revenue planning
Dr. Ashigbe also called for the introduction of a Minerals Revenue Management Act to provide a framework for managing revenues from the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.
He said the proposed legislation could draw lessons from the Petroleum Revenue Management Act, particularly in establishing mechanisms to save revenues during periods of high commodity prices.
He proposed the establishment of stabilisation and heritage funds to protect government finances against fluctuations in international mineral prices while preserving part of the country’s mineral wealth for future generations.
He said the finite nature of mineral resources made it necessary for Ghana to invest the proceeds from extraction in sustainable economic activities.
Every ounce of gold you take out of the ground, every ton of manganese you take out of the ground, took some millions and millions of years to produce. And so that is lost forever for the next millions of years,” he emphasized.
He argued that the proposed legislation could also provide an opportunity to establish a dedicated fund to support indigenous mining companies and develop their operational capacities.
According to him, strengthening Ghanaian-owned mining businesses would enable them to expand their operations, attract investment and compete more effectively in the industry.
He cited companies such as Adamus Resources, Asante Gold and Engineers and Planners as examples of indigenous businesses whose capacities could be developed alongside emerging medium-scale mining enterprises.
Dr. Ashigbe said combining support for local businesses with foreign direct investment would help build a stronger domestic mining industry and improve the country’s ability to retain value from its mineral resources.
He reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to working with government, regulators and civil society organisations to develop policies that would strengthen the mining industry’s contribution to Ghana’s long-term economic development.
Chief of Staff to the President of Ghana, Dr. Julius Debrah, gave this assurance during a courtesy call at the Jubilee House by a delegation from the JICA Ghana Office, led by the Chief Representative Mr. Takayuki Uchiyama. The delegation, which included senior government officials who are JICA training alumni, briefed the Chief of Staff on the milestone and the program’s enduring impact.
Since its inception in 1976, the partnership has empowered more than 5,000 Ghanaian officials and professionals. Beyond short-term courses, the program has evolved significantly to support academic excellence, with over 150 participants earning master’s and doctoral degrees at Japanese universities.
“The knowledge, experience, and work ethic gained in Japan are vital to Ghana’s development,” noted Hon. Debrah, pledging continued government support for future initiatives.
Mr Uchiyama emphasised the program’s long-term legacy: “The skills and knowledge brought home from Japan continue to shape our institutions and are passed down to future generations, laying a foundation for Ghana’s stable development.”
Key milestones over the past five decades include:
To celebrate this milestone, JICA will host a symposium to engage alumni, government partners, and stakeholders in reflecting on the program’s impact and mapping out future cooperation. Further details regarding the event will be announced in due course.
About JICA Training in Ghana
JICA’s training program takes Ghanaian officials and professionals to Japan and partner countries to share knowledge and experience in areas important to Ghana’s development. It includes short-term courses through the Knowledge Co-Creation Program (KCCP), a training scheme linked to JICA technical cooperation projects, Master’s and Doctoral degree programs at Japanese universities, including the JDS scholarship and the ABE Initiative. Alumni remain connected through the JICA Alumni Association of Ghana (JAAGHA).
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Every technological revolution begins with what we can see.
Factories rise.
Railways stretch across continents.
Power stations illuminate cities.
Fiber-optic cables cross oceans.
Data centers fill landscapes.
History teaches us to admire the infrastructure.
But history also teaches us something else.
Infrastructure is rarely where the greatest value is ultimately created.
It is where the opportunity begins.
The Pattern Behind Every Technological Revolution
Every major technological revolution expands a fundamental human capability.
Railroads expanded our ability to move people and goods.
Electricity expanded our ability to convert energy into productive work.
Telecommunications expanded our ability to communicate across distance.
Computers expanded our ability to calculate.
Artificial intelligence is expanding our ability to access, organize, and apply knowledge.
Each revolution made something that was once scarce more abundant.
But abundance alone has never created prosperity.
Prosperity comes from what societies choose to do with that new abundance.
Infrastructure creates possibility.
People create value.
Continuity determines whether that value compounds.
Infrastructure Is the Beginning, Not the Destination
History repeatedly follows the same pattern.
A breakthrough occurs.
Society races to build infrastructure.
The infrastructure becomes widely available.
Then something remarkable happens.
The greatest value migrates away from the infrastructure itself.
Railroads did not become the largest retailers.
They enabled them.
Electricity did not become the world’s greatest manufacturers.
It enabled them.
Global fiber-optic networks did not become the world’s dominant internet platforms.
They enabled them.
Companies such as WorldCom and Global Crossing invested billions laying fiber across continents and oceans. Many disappeared. The infrastructure survived. Years later, companies like Google, Amazon, Meta, and Netflix created extraordinary value on top of those networks.
The builders made the future possible.
Others discovered how to create greater value from it.
That is the overlooked lesson of every technological revolution.
The AI Era Is Following the Same Path
Today’s headlines focus on infrastructure.
More advanced chips.
Larger AI models.
More data centers.
Greater computing capacity.
These investments are essential.
Without them, the AI revolution cannot happen.
But they are only the enabling layer.
The enduring value of artificial intelligence will not be determined solely by who builds the largest data centers.
It will be determined by who applies AI to solve problems, improve decisions, strengthen institutions, and create new forms of value.
Technology eventually becomes accessible.
The ability to create enduring advantage does not.
The Race That Follows
Much of the world has framed the AI conversation as a race to build infrastructure.
It certainly is.
But that is only the first race.
The second race is the race to reorganize society around the new capability.
Every ministry.
Every university.
Every hospital.
Every business.
Every school.
Every manufacturer.
Every financial institution.
Every nation.
Each must decide how to use artificial intelligence to become more capable tomorrow than it is today.
History suggests this second race is where the greatest value is created.
Africa’s Strategic Opportunity
This is where Africa should focus its attention.
Africa should continue investing in connectivity, digital infrastructure, energy, education, and technical capability.
These investments remain essential.
But Africa should not measure its future solely by the number of chips it manufactures or the number of data centers it builds.
The greater opportunity lies elsewhere.
It lies in creating value from the infrastructure that increasingly becomes available to everyone.
History suggests that this is where enduring competitive advantage is often found.
The Resource That Cannot Be Imported
Every nation accumulates something that no other nation possesses.
Its own experience.
Its own institutions.
Its own decisions.
Its own relationships.
Its own culture.
Its own successes.
Its own failures.
Its own accumulated judgment.
These are strategic assets.
Yet they are also remarkably fragile.
Every retirement risks losing decades of knowledge.
Every change of government risks losing institutional memory.
Every business closure risks losing hard-earned experience.
Every forgotten lesson forces society to pay once again for knowledge it has already acquired.
This is not simply a management problem.
It is an economic problem.
Why Continuity Matters
Experience has little value if it disappears.
Knowledge has little value if it cannot be found.
Lessons have little value if they are repeatedly relearned.
Continuity is what preserves what would otherwise be lost.
It allows experience to survive.
When experience survives, it accumulates.
When it accumulates, it becomes intelligence.
When intelligence is consistently applied, it becomes capability.
When capability improves continuously over time, it becomes lasting prosperity.
This is true for individuals.
It is true for businesses.
It is true for governments.
It is true for nations.
A New Kind of National Infrastructure
The AI era requires more than computing infrastructure.
It also requires continuity infrastructure.
Systems that preserve institutional memory.
Systems that organize knowledge.
Systems that connect today’s decisions with yesterday’s lessons.
Systems that ensure experience is not discarded but continuously reused.
Without this layer, artificial intelligence will increasingly rely on someone else’s accumulated experience rather than our own.
That is not merely a technological risk.
It is a strategic one.
The Race That Will Define the Future
The AI infrastructure race is already well underway.
But another race has only just begun.
It is the race to preserve experience.
To organize knowledge.
To strengthen judgment.
To ensure that each generation begins where the previous one left off instead of beginning again.
Every civilization inherits infrastructure from those who came before.
The more important question is whether it also inherits their experience.
Infrastructure expands what a society can do.
Continuity determines whether a society becomes wiser because of what it has already done.
Perhaps that is the enduring lesson of every technological revolution.
Civilizations are not transformed simply because they build new capabilities.
They are transformed because they preserve those capabilities, learn from them, and build upon them over time.
That is the race that ultimately determines prosperity.
And that is the race that still lies ahead.
By Derick Bostyoe and DodoeNezi Hukporti
In an exclusive internal document intercepted by The Spyder, the Ghana Plastic Manufacturers’ Association (GPMA) has issued a stark warning to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), stating that the government’s proposed January 1, 2027, ban on polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) could trigger a massive financial crisis, bank defaults, and widespread job losses across the country.
In a confidential petition signed by the President of the GPMA, Ebbo Botwe, and addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the EPA, the association makes its position clear – manufacturers will only support the ban if the government is prepared to completely reimburse their capital investment costs, totaling a staggering GH₵1.493 billion.
A Multibillion-Cedi Industry Teetering on the Brink
The document underscores the colossal footprint of the plastic industry within the Ghanaian economy, revealing dependencies and employment figures that have hitherto remained largely out of public discourse.
According to the GPMA, the sector represents over 171 production factories nationwide. Its economic impact includes providing direct jobs to 41,395 people, supporting 1.89 million recycling jobs, and sustaining another 1.43 million roles in the sachet water, bottled water, and beverage sectors. This brings the total employment generated across auxiliary sectors to 3.71 million people, meaning approximately 92% of all Ghanaian industries rely on the plastic sector for their packaging needs. Furthermore, in 2023, plastics ranked as Ghana’s fifth-largest commodity export, trailing only behind gold, crude oil, cocoa, and cashew nuts.
The ‘Emphatic No’: Machinery Cannot Be Converte
A central revelation in the investigation is the catastrophic loss of capital infrastructure that the ban would cause. The EPA’s current timeline gives manufacturers just months to phase out production. However, the GPMA has delivered an “emphatic NO” to any ideas of repurposing current manufacturing plants.
The association states that absolutely no Styrofoam manufacturing machine can be retooled to manufacture any of the proposed alternatives. As a matter of fact, Styrofoam machinery cannot be used to even manufacture some other types of plastic packaging, including bioplastics, because it is designed solely for polystyrene products. Because the return on investment for this specialized machinery takes between 5 to 10 years, and several companies set up brand-new production lines as recently as one to two years ago, the earliest many factories can even break even is the year 2030.
Panic in the Banking Sector and Threats of Capital Flight
The Spyder’s analysis of the document indicates that the proposed 2027 timeline has already sent shockwaves through Accra’s financial districts. The GPMA admits that local banks are panicking over outstanding loans tied to these multi-million-cedi manufacturing plants.
The association warned that since the EPA’s press release, the banks have taken serious concern as to what will happen to the machinery and how to recover their loans if the machines become scraps. This has caused investor confidence to hit rock bottom, and financial institutions are actively shying away from supporting plastic businesses.
If pushed to the wall, manufacturers are threatening capital flight. The document hints that factories are considering dismantling their plants and relocating to friendly neighboring countries within the ECOWAS region where Styrofoam is not banned. This move, the GPMA warns, will worsen domestic inflation and cause a severe drain on foreign exchange reserves as Ghana turns to importing finished alternative packaging.
The Counter-Proposal: 2030 Timeline and Strict Local Protections
Rather than a sudden regulatory “guillotine,” the GPMA is demanding a balanced solution that avoids the indirect closure of local companies. They have offered a set of strict counter-proposals to the EPA.
First, they demand a deadline extension to January 1, 2030, to allow factories to recover their investments. Second, the association surprisingly supports an immediate ban on the importation of finished Styrofoam products by 2027 to protect local manufacturers during the transition. Third, they propose introducing an immediate Extended Producer Responsibility framework, noting that Styrofoam waste is highly sought after by international buyers in Spain, Turkey, and China. Finally, they are asking whether the government will step in with tax waivers, tax holidays, and direct subsidies for companies forced to purchase entirely new machinery for eco-friendly alternatives.
The manufacturers also raise a critical scientific challenge, questioning whether the state has any verified proof that alternative raw materials, such as sugarcane waste, are commercially available in the quantities needed to sustain Ghana’s massive market demand.
“Plastics Do Not Litter by Themselves…”
The document concludes with a philosophical but defensive reminder to regulators, stating that plastics do not litter by themselves, but people do. Based on this, they argue that aggressive waste management and recycling strategies are more effective than outright bans that decimate local industries.
As the text of this leak circulates behind closed doors, the ball is now firmly in the EPA’s and the Ministry of Environment’s court. Will the government push forward with its 2027 green agenda, or will the terrifying prospect of a GH₵1.49 billion manufacturing collapse, a massive banking crisis, and the disruption of 3.7 million jobs force a retreat?
The Spyder will continue to follow this story as it develops.
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“Without institutional accountability, the 24-Hour Economy risks becoming another national slogan rather than a national transformation agenda.”
Ghana Has Achieved Stability. Now, Every Institution Must Be Measured on productivity, jobs, and Growth.
Ghana stands at an important turning point.
After years of economic turbulence, painful reforms, and difficult sacrifices by businesses and citizens alike, the country is finally beginning to experience the benefits of macroeconomic stabilization. Inflation is easing, exchange rate volatility has reduced considerably, investor confidence is gradually returning, and fiscal discipline is becoming more visible.
These gains did not happen by accident.
The Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Ghana deserve recognition for implementing the difficult measures required to restore confidence in the economy. Through fiscal reforms, debt restructuring, tighter monetary management, improved reserve positions, and a renewed focus on stability, Ghana has successfully laid the foundation upon which future growth can be built.
However, stability alone does not create prosperity.
Stability alone does not create jobs.
Stability alone does not industrialize a nation.
Stability alone does not transform the lives of millions of young Ghanaians seeking opportunity.
The next national challenge is therefore clear: how do we convert economic stability into economic productivity?
The answer lies in the successful implementation of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy.
The 24-Hour Economy Requires Institutional Discipline
The 24-Hour Economy cannot be achieved through speeches, slogans, or policy announcements.
It requires measurable action from every ministry, department, agency, regulator, district assembly, state-owned enterprise, utility provider, development finance institution, and public authority.
This is why President Mahama must demand quarterly Key Performance Indicator (KPI) reports from every public institution in Ghana.
Every institution must be able to demonstrate how its activities are contributing to:
– Job creation
– Industrial growth
– Export expansion
– Agricultural productivity
– SME development
– Youth employment
– Investment attraction
– Infrastructure readiness
– Digital transformation
– Business competitiveness
The era of measuring success by budgets spent and meetings attended must come to an end.
The new measure must be economic impact.
Every Institution Must Answer One Question
Every quarter, every public institution should be required to answer one simple question:
“What measurable contribution have you made towards Ghana’s economic productivity and 24-Hour Economy agenda?”
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness should report on factories activated, exports facilitated, and SMEs supported.
The Ministry of Finance should report on productive sector financing, investment incentives, and private sector mobilization.
The Bank of Ghana should track productive lending, financial inclusion, digital payments growth, and SME credit expansion.
The Ministry of Energy should report on industrial power reliability and support for shift-based operations.
The Ministry of Transport should demonstrate improvements in logistics efficiency and night-time movement of goods.
The Ministry of Education should show how technical institutions are preparing workers for modern industry.
District Assemblies should account for jobs created, industrial land prepared, business permits issued, and local investment facilitated.
Every institution must have a measurable role.
The Private Sector Must Feel the Difference
Ultimately, the success of the 24-Hour Economy will not be measured in government reports but in the experience of businesses.
Can a factory operate multiple shifts without power interruptions?
Can a farmer access processing facilities and markets?
Can an exporter move goods efficiently?
Can an SME obtain affordable financing?
Can a young entrepreneur start and scale a business without unnecessary bureaucracy?
These are the questions that matter.
The private sector must feel a visible improvement in the operating environment.
Building on the Foundation Already Created
The Bank of Ghana and the Ministry of Finance have already done much of the heavy lifting required to stabilize the economy.
The foundation is stronger than it was just a few years ago.
The cedi is more stable.
Inflation is moderating.
Investor confidence is improving.
The fiscal outlook is strengthening.
These gains must now be protected and amplified through growth-oriented policies.
The 24-Hour Economy offers the opportunity to transform economic stability into economic expansion.
But success will require discipline, coordination, and accountability across the entire public sector.
A National Scorecard for Growth
President Mahama should establish a national 24-Hour Economy Performance Dashboard monitored directly by the Presidency.
Every ministry, agency, district assembly, regulator, utility, and state-owned enterprise should submit quarterly KPI reports linked to national productivity targets.
Institutions that perform should be recognized and rewarded.
Institutions that fail to support the programme should be identified and assisted to improve.
Transparency will create urgency.
Urgency will create action.
Action will create results.
The Time for Delivery Has Arrived
Ghana has spent years fighting for economic stability.
The nation cannot afford to stop there.
The challenge now is to create jobs, grow industries, increase exports, strengthen local enterprises, and unlock opportunities for millions of young people.
The foundation has been laid.
The economy is becoming more stable.
The time for preparation is over.
The time for delivery has arrived.
President Mahama must therefore demand quarterly accountability from every institution because the success of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy will depend not only on the strength of the policy itself, but on the readiness, commitment, and performance of the institutions responsible for delivering it.
History rarely remembers governments for the policies they announced. It remembers them for the results they delivered.
Ghana has won the battle for stability. The greater battle now is for productivity, jobs and shared prosperity. The success of the 24-Hour Economy will not be determined by promises made at launch ceremonies, but by measurable outcomes delivered in factories, farms, ports, offices and communities across the country.
If every institution is held accountable every quarter, urgency will replace complacency, performance will replace bureaucracy, and results will replace rhetoric.
Because economies do not grow because governments make declarations
They grow because institutions deliver.
And history will judge this era not by the ambition of its vision, but by the discipline with which that vision was executed.
]]>PAN-AFRICAN / GLOBAL — The Pan-African Interior and Intentional Design Summit (PAID Summit) — the first global Pan-African interior design summit ever convened is announcing its long-awaited return with a confirmed lineup of more than seventy leading designers, architects, educators, and policy voices from across Africa and the diaspora.
PAID Summit 2026 takes place virtually from May 7–9, 2026 on lightdesignfactory.com/paidsummit, convening 10,000+ interior designers from 30+ countries under the theme “Curating Our Future: The Power of Intentional Design.”
Originally launched in 2018, PAID Summit established itself as the world’s first global gathering of African interior designers. The summit is led today by Osaru Alile-Abraham, founder of Light Design Lab.
A THREE-DAY PROGRAMME, BUILT AS AN ARC
DAY 1 — Intentional Design: The Practice.
DAY 2 — The Professional Practice of Interior Design.
DAY 3 — Design Influence & Authority.
PAID SUMMIT 2026 — AT A GLANCE
Dates: May 7–9, 2026 (3 days, virtual)
Theme: Curating Our Future: The Power of Intentional Design
Audience: 10,000+ interior designers across 30+ countries
Format: 11 expert panels, 5 knowledge sessions, 60 breakout rooms, 3 studio tours, 3 live performances
Speakers: 70+ designers, architects, educators, and industry leaders
WHY NOW
African design is shaping the global conversation. PAID Summit 2026 brings this movement into one virtual room for three days of dialogue, business, and collective vision-setting.
A SUMMIT WITH A SOCIAL MANDATE
70% of proceeds will support The Happy Space Project, designing dignified spaces for underserved communities.
MEDIA CONTACT
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +234 808 385 8147
Web: lightdesignfactory.com/paidsummit
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The proposal, currently under review by TCDA, seeks to establish multiple cashew processing plants in the country and scale up processing capacity as part of efforts to increase value addition in the sector.
If implemented, the initiative aims to enable full domestic processing of Ghana’s cashew output within five years, targeting a processing capacity of about 500,000 metric tonnes annually—double the country’s estimated annual production of roughly 250,000 tonnes of raw cashew nuts (RCNs).
The move is expected to strengthen Ghana’s position in the global cashew value chain and enable the country to capture greater economic value from the crop, which remains one of its most important non-traditional exports.
The Chief Executive Officer of TCDA, Dr. Addy Osei Okrah, confirmed that discussions were ongoing.
We are considering a proposal from PSL Machinery. Once evaluated, TCDA will determine the specific nature of the partnership,” he said.
Ghana is among Africa’s leading cashew producers, but local processing remains limited. More than 90 per cent of the country’s raw cashew nuts are exported without processing, largely to Asian markets where they are shelled, processed and re-exported as finished products.
According to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), cashew exports generated about US$400 million in 2024, highlighting the crop’s growing importance within Ghana’s non-traditional export sector.
However, industry stakeholders say the country continues to lose substantial value due to its limited processing capacity.
Over the years, several cashew processing factories established across producing regions have shut down or are operating below capacity, mainly due to inadequate supply of raw nuts, obsolete equipment and high operational costs.
A few processors remain active, but many struggle to operate at optimal levels, constraining efforts to expand value addition and job creation within the sector.
The proposed partnership is expected to complement ongoing government efforts to develop the tree crops sector, which includes cashew, cocoa, rubber, oil palm, coconut and shea.
The African Business Development Director of PSL Machinery, Bilal Saab, said the initiative would focus on building new processing facilities while supporting existing factories to improve their operational efficiency.
He noted that the company also plans to deploy technical personnel in Ghana to assist processors in upgrading equipment and meeting modern production standards.
In addition to nut processing, the proposal also seeks to promote utilisation of cashew apples, which account for roughly 70 per cent of the total cashew harvest but are largely wasted due to limited processing technologies and infrastructure.
Cashew apples can be processed into juice, jam, wine and other by-products, presenting additional income opportunities for farmers and agribusiness operators.
The cashew sector supports the livelihoods of more than 200,000 farmers, mainly in the Bono, Bono East, Northern, Savannah and Volta regions, where the crop plays a critical role in rural incomes and employment.
]]>If we reduce steel imports by even 20 to 30% annually, the foreign exchange savings alone could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. This is what industrial sovereignty is about,” he said.
President Mahama made the remarks during the commissioning of the B5 Plus LTD Steel Manufacturing Plant on Friday, February 20, highlighting the plant’s role in strengthening domestic steel production.
Steel consumption is a strong indicator of industrial development,” President Mahama said. “Across emerging economies, per capita steel consumption rises in tandem with infrastructural development, urbanisation, and industrial expansion.”
Ghana’s annual steel demand is estimated at over 1.2 million metric tonnes, driven primarily by construction, energy, mining, and manufacturing sectors. Historically, much of this demand has been met through imports, which has placed pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.
The expansion of this facility strengthens domestic capacity to substitute those imports, save foreign exchange, improve our trade balance, stabilize supply chains, and reduce exposure to global price swings,” President Mahama added.
The commissioning of B5 Plus LTD is expected to support Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, creating jobs, bolstering infrastructure development, and reducing reliance on imported steel.
]]>During his address at the WHX Leaders Conference, Mr. Mahama highlighted the vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly Africa’s heavy reliance on imported vaccines. He stated, “We cannot continue to depend entirely on imports for vaccines that determine our survival. We are calling on manufacturers and investors to collaborate with government to make this hub a reality.”
The proposed hub is expected to significantly boost Ghana’s capacity to produce vaccines locally, thereby strengthening the region’s preparedness for future health emergencies. Mr. Mahama emphasized that Ghana’s existing pharmaceutical capabilities, combined with its strategic location in West Africa, position the country as a leader in vaccine development and distribution across the continent.
Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, revealed that her ministry is in discussions with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat. This engagement aims to facilitate seamless intra-African trade, particularly for pharmaceutical products once local vaccine production commences. She noted, “Removing trade barriers and improving market access under AfCFTA will enable Ghana-made vaccines and health products to compete effectively across the continent. We are working closely with the AfCFTA to create smooth access for our manufacturers across Africa. This is essential if we want to build strong, competitive industries.”
Additionally, Peter Hall, President for the Middle East, India, Turkey, and Africa at Informa Markets, underscored the significance of platforms like the WHX Leaders Conference. He remarked that such gatherings foster collaboration, drive innovation, and create opportunities for governments, investors, and industry stakeholders to build resilient health and industrial systems across regions.
The WHX Leaders Conference successfully brought together policymakers, global health experts, investors, and pharmaceutical companies to discuss innovations in health systems, industrial transformation, and Africa’s preparedness for future global challenges.
]]>In a press statement on this occasion, Mr. Kayouh explained that this structuring project will reduce travel times between some of the Kingdom’s major cities, with a time saving of up to 70% compared to current travel times.
This large-scale project will streamline citizen mobility, better connect major cities, including Rabat, Casablanca, and Marrakech, and serve some of the Kingdom’s main airports, he said.
Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line Will Place Morocco Among the Countries with the Longest High-Speed Networks
The Director General of the National Railways Office (ONCF), Mohamed Rabie Khlie, indicated that the Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Rail Line will place Morocco among the countries with the longest high-speed networks in the world, with a length of 630 km.
In a press statement, Mr. Khlie stated that the construction of this railway line is part of the major projects carried out under the leadership of the Sovereign, noting that the railway sector has experienced a significant leap forward over the past twenty years, both in terms of investment and performance, which has enabled the Kingdom to position itself among the pioneering countries in this field.
In this context, the Director General of ONCF highlighted the implementation of numerous railway projects with a strong socio-economic impact, led by the Al-Boraq train, which has quickly established itself as an efficient means of transportation, with passenger numbers increasing from 3 million in 2019 to 5.5 million in 2024.
The total number of passengers, across all types of trains, reached 53 million last year, Mr. Khlie said.
Al Boraq, the first high-speed train on the African continent, launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in November 2018, is a symbol of performance and commitment to sustainable mobility with a strong socio-economic impact.
Thanks to its various positive impacts, the high-speed train has proven to be an innovative solution and a natural choice to boost the national transportation system, strengthen multimodality, and preserve the environment.
Al Boraq, running on clean energy, plays a central role in strengthening national economic integration. By connecting Casablanca to Tangier in record time, it brings together two vital centers of the Moroccan economy.
Since its entry into service, the Al Boraq train, linking Tangier to Casablanca, has significantly improved rail service, while providing greater comfort and safety for train users.
The new Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Line is thus in line with the continued development of the Kingdom’s rail network and has established itself as the most efficient and sustainable mode of passenger transport over medium and long distances.
Construction work on the Kenitra-Marrakech High-Speed Line will be carried out according to the established schedule, assured Khalid Khairane, Director of the High-Speed Line Projects Division at the National Railways Office (ONCF). In a press statement, Mr. Khairane affirmed that work on this line will be carried out according to the established schedule to be ready for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, a major event that the Kingdom is preparing to co-host with Spain and Portugal.
“We are now preparing to begin work, knowing that during 2024, we have awarded all construction contracts,” he explained, recalling that all studies relating to this project, which began in 2022, have been completed and that three-quarters of the land required for the construction of this high-speed line has been acquired.
The high-speed line project will feature trains equipped with cutting-edge technologies offering the highest standards in terms of safety and comfort, indicated Luciano Borges, Director of the Equipment Division at the National Railway Office (ONCF). The ONCF has launched a program to acquire 18 latest-generation high-speed trains (320 km/h) with a capacity of 641 seats, which will be supplied by the French manufacturer ALSTOM, the official explained.
The acquisition of this fleet will allow the company to expand from a current fleet of twelve trains to a total fleet of thirty, he explained.
Other than the very high recyclability criteria required for these trains (+97%), he added that the process of selecting manufacturers allowed for the establishment of sound partnerships for controlled maintenance by developing adapted industrial tools.
Mr. Borges also stated that existing industrial capacities in Morocco will be mobilized to better equip the new high-speed trains, which will have an industrial and social impact as well as a considerable effect on the environment by shortening supply chains.
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