Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry, Motai- Ghana

05/09/2026

📢 MOTAI E-NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2026

The latest edition of the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness & Industry (MOTAI) E-Newsletter is out!

From advancing Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and strengthening local industries to promoting SME financing, digital transformation, AfCFTA and investment, this edition captures key initiatives and engagements driving Ghana’s trade and industrial development.

📰 Read the August 2026 edition and stay informed on the work of MOTAI.

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04/09/2026

HORTICULTURE SECTOR, KEY TO JOB CREATION AND EXPORT EXPANSION - GOV'T

Government is strengthening Ghana’s agribusiness value chain by linking farming, industry and markets to create jobs, promote value addition and boost exports.

Speaking at the opening of the 3rd Ghana International Horticulture Expo, on behalf of H. E the President of the Republic John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Hon. Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare highlighted initiatives including the set up of the Agribusiness Directorate and National Agribusiness Policy aimed at improving financing, processing, storage, market access and global competitiveness.

She urged Stakeholders to collaborate to expand horticulture and create more jobs for young people.

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PR & COMMS UPDATES - MOTAI

04/09/2026

Trade Ministry, Prison Service Discuss Skills Training and Agribusiness Collaboration

The Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service Mrs Patience Baffoe Bonnie, has called on the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry in Accra to discuss areas of collaboration, including skills training, industrial development and agribusiness initiatives.

The meeting, held on Thursday, September 3, 2026, focused on strengthening partnerships to support key priority projects and programmes aimed at improving the prison system and enhancing the welfare and rehabilitation of inmates among others.

The Trade Minister Hon. Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, assured the Director-General of her ministry’s commitment to working closely with the Ghana Prisons Service to implement initiatives that will create opportunities, build skills and contribute to national development.

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PR & COMMS UPDATES - MOTAI

03/09/2026

Catholic Women’s Council Visits Trade Minister, Offers Prayers and Support

The Diocesan Council of Catholic Women from Ghana’s Bono East Region paid a courtesy visit to the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, in Acrra on Thursdays 3rd September 2026, to express their support, solidarit, and prayers for her work in government.

The delegation, led by Rev. Fr. Enoch Dua and Madam Gifty Kwarteng of the Techiman Diocese praised the Minister’s contribution to national development and said the visit was to strengthen their relationship and assure her of their continued support.

Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare thanked the Catholic women for their encouragement and spiritual support, emphasizing the importance of engaging with groups that show commitment to her work and Ghana’s development. She also reaffirmed her openness to continued collaboration.

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PR&COMMS UPDATES - MOTAI

03/09/2026

TEXTILES & AGRIBUSINESS, KEY PRIORITIES FOR GHANA-GERMANY INVESTMENT COOPERATION - TRADE MINISTER

Germany’s Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Frederick Landshoft, has on Thursday 3rd September, 2026 paid a courtesy call on the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, to strengthen bilateral cooperation and deepen trade and investment relations between Ghana and Germany.

The Ambassador commended the Government of Ghana for its achievements since President John Dramani Mahama assumed office and expressed Germany’s commitment to strengthening economic partnerships, including through upcoming government-to-government consultations.

The Minister highlighted Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private-sector growth, industrialisation and job creation, with focus on labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, garment manufacturing and agribusiness.

She encouraged German businesses to explore investment opportunities under Ghana’s industrialisation agenda and outlined plans to support the establishment of textile and garment factories in Aboabo and other parts of the country to create jobs and promote decentralised industrial development.

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare also praised investments that provide worker welfare support, including childcare facilities, and commended the German Government for its assistance to Northshore Apparel GH. Ltd. in Savelugu, Northern Region.

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PR&COMMS UPDATES MOTAI

03/09/2026

JICA, MoTAI Advance Plans to Boost Agro-Processed Exports Under AfCFTA

The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MoTAI) has held a follow-up meeting with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to advance preparations for the implementation of the Project for Agro-Processing Value Chain Development under the AfCFTA Framework. The meeting brought together Directors and technical officials of the Ministry and was led by the Chief Director, Mr. Noah Tumfo on behalf of the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hoh. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare while the JICA delegation was led by Ms. AIZU Naho.

The meeting, held on Thursday, 3rd September, 2026, focused on the proposed four-year project, scheduled to run from November 2026 to October 2030, with the main objective of expanding intra-African exports of agro-processed products by leveraging opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The JICA team made presentations on the Agency and its technical cooperation projects, details of Ghana’s project request, lessons learned from food value-chain cooperation projects in Asia, the scope and schedule of the detailed planning survey, potential project activities, as well as key stakeholders in Ghana and their respective roles.

The current engagement builds on work undertaken during two earlier phases. In 2024, Phase One focused on developing the AIDA/AfCFTA Standard Guide for Country Assessment. Phase Two, conducted between August 2025 and March 2026, involved a pilot assessment in five volunteer countries, including Ghana, resulting in a Country Impact Assessment Report and a Policy Brief.

The Policy Brief identified key areas for strengthening Ghana’s agro-processing sector, including scaling up value addition and processing capacity, improving firm-level competitiveness, aligning enabling conditions with industrial-scale production, enhancing conditions and service delivery at the firm interface, and promoting inclusive participation in the value chain.

The project is expected to contribute to the establishment of effective value-chain strategies, enhance the export capacity of private enterprises, strengthen government capacity to support exports, and ultimately expand Ghana’s exports of agro-processed products within the African market.

In his concluding remarks, Chief Director Mr. Noah Tumfo noted that there were still opportunities for further engagement with relevant stakeholders, including the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), before the programme commenced. He stressed the importance of involving key stakeholders to address technical and regulatory requirements and ensure the successful implementation of the project.
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PR & COMMS UPDATE (MoTAI)

02/09/2026

FINANCE & TRADE MINISTRIES COLLABORATE ON NEW ECONOMY PROGRAMME

The Ministries of Finance and Trade, Agribusiness and Industry have commenced discussions on key interventions and policies to be incorporated into the Government’s New Economy Programme, aimed at accelerating economic growth, creating jobs and transforming Ghana’s economy.

The Minister for Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, held a deep-dive engagement with the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026 in Accra, to solicit the Ministry’s inputs towards the development of the programme.

The engagement forms part of consultations being led by the Ministry of Finance following the Government’s progress in restoring macroeconomic stability and strengthening the foundations for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

The New Economy Programme is expected to provide a framework for prioritising and supporting high-impact interventions with strong potential to accelerate job creation and facilitate structural transformation of the economy.

During the meeting, Dr. Forson stressed the need for the two Ministries to work closely in reviewing existing policies and interventions to ensure that they deliver measurable benefits to the Ghanaian economy.

He noted that such reviews should involve an assessment of the impact of policies over the years, identifying gaps and examining how Ghana could adopt approaches that reflect changing economic realities.

He cited the Free Zones Act as one area requiring introspection, given its nearly three decades of implementation. He called for an assessment of the benefits derived from the programme, the challenges encountered and the extent to which it had contributed to job creation, industrial development and investment.

According to him, incentives and programmes established to attract investment must ultimately translate into tangible economic benefits for the country.

Dr. Forson further emphasised the need for effective systems to monitor the economic contributions of businesses benefiting from government incentives, particularly in relation to investment, job creation and the retention of economic value in Ghana.

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to providing the necessary sector-specific inputs to enrich the development of the New Economy Programme while commending the Finance Ministry for this bold initiative in ensuring that government goal for shared prosperity and Job creation for all by 2030 is attained.

The engagement underscores Government’s broader efforts to move beyond macroeconomic stabilisation towards an economy anchored on productive investment, industrialisation, job creation and sustainable economic growth.

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PR & COMMS UPDATES - MOTAI

01/09/2026

Trade Minister Inspects Site for Cape Coast Garment Factory

The government’s drive to expand Ghana’s garment and textile manufacturing industry has taken another step forward with the inspection of a proposed site for a new garment factory in Cape Coast in the Central Region.

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, together with the Chief Director and officials of the Ministry, inspected the site following President John Dramani Mahama’s commitment to establish garment factories in the Central, Eastern and Bono Regions.

The proposed facility is expected to form part of government’s broader industrialisation and job-creation agenda, with the garment and textile sector identified as an important area for expanding domestic production and creating employment opportunities for young people.

Speaking during the inspection on Monday 31st August, 2026, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare expressed satisfaction with the location of the proposed site, particularly its accessibility and proximity to road networks, which she said would make it easier for workers to commute to and from the facility.

She said the chiefs and people of the area had made the land available for the project and were already undertaking preparatory works, including excavation.

According to the Minister, the site could be ready within one to two months, subject to the completion of the ongoing preparatory works.

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare described the enthusiasm of the local community to host the factory as encouraging, stressing that the project would provide much-needed employment opportunities for residents while contributing to economic activity in the region.

“Garment factories create jobs,” she said, pointing to the recently commissioned Northshore Apparel Hub in Savelugu as a practical demonstration of the employment and industrial opportunities that the sector can generate.

The Northshore facility, commissioned on August 28, 2026, is expected to create about 3,000 jobs in its first phase, with employment projected to reach 10,000 when fully operational. The facility is also expected to support Ghana’s export ambitions, with its management already preparing to begin international shipments.

The Savelugu project is also being positioned as an example of how the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative can support increased production and employment. Plans to operate multiple shifts are expected to further expand job opportunities and production capacity.

Against this backdrop, the Minister said government was working to extend similar opportunities to other parts of the country.

She explained, however, that the establishment of a government-supported industrial project requires several stages, including feasibility studies, procurement processes and other technical assessments.

“Anytime you are doing a government project, you go through a process,” she said, assuring the people that the necessary processes were being pursued to enable the project to move forward".

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare said transaction advisors were also working on the various proposed garment projects, adding that once the requisite processes were concluded, construction could commence.

The Minister assured the chiefs and people of Cape Coast that they would be informed once the processes had been concluded and a definitive timeline for construction established.

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*PR & COMMS UPDATE - MOTAI*

31/08/2026

Government Moves to Unlock Central Region’s Trade, Investment Potential, As Trade Minister Opens EXPO

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging the Central Region’s agricultural, tourism, industrial and human resource potential to drive production, attract investment, create jobs and expand Ghana’s export base.

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, made the commitment on Monday, August 31, 2026, when she opened the 5th Central Regional Expo on behalf of the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, in Cape Coast in the Central Region.

Held under the theme, “Celebrating 5 Years of Advancing Trade, Promoting Tourism and Unlocking Opportunities,” the Expo has evolved into an important platform for businesses to showcase their products, connect with customers and investors, build partnerships and explore new markets.

The Minister congratulated the organizers, exhibitors, sponsors and other stakeholders for sustaining the initiative, noting that the Central Region’s fertile agricultural areas, fishing economy, renowned educational institutions and important tourism and heritage assets provide a strong foundation for economic transformation.

She said stronger production in the Central Region would contribute to national output, while value addition and exports would help diversify Ghana’s economy.

She noted that tourism created opportunities far beyond the attractions themselves, as visitors to Cape Coast and Elmina spent on accommodation, food, transportation, crafts and other services, thereby creating markets for farmers, fishermen, processors, artisans and other businesses.

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare therefore stressed the need for hotels, restaurants, shops and tourism establishments to increasingly source quality Ghanaian products locally as part of Government’s Made-in-Ghana Promotion agenda. She said the initiative was aimed at helping Ghanaian businesses improve product quality, packaging and standards to compete successfully both locally and internationally.

The Minister also highlighted productive infrastructure established under the now-completed Rural Enterprises Programme at Nsuaem-Kyekyewere, Agona Swedru, Assin Foso, Anomabo, Twifo Praso, Abura Dunkwa and Ajumako. She said these facilities must be put to productive use to support agro-processing, provide markets for farmers and create employment, in line with Government’s Rapid Industrialization for Jobs agenda.

She further cited the ongoing efforts to revitalize the Komenda Sugar Factory, explaining that transaction advisers had been engaged to identify prospective investors capable of operating the facility sustainably.

On garment manufacturing, the Minister disclosed that Cape Coast was one of three locations identified by Government for the establishment of garment factories with feasibility studies already underway.

She said the initiative could create opportunities in garment production and related services while providing pathways from skills development to employment and enterprise through the apprenticeship-to-Entrepreneurship initiative.

Hon. Ofosu-Adjare also highlighted the Gomoa Central Special Economic Zone, which covers about 21,000 acres and has plans for more than 200 factories, with the potential to create approximately 60,000 jobs.

She said the development could generate opportunities beyond the Central Region through increased demand for raw materials, logistics, skilled labour and other services across Ghana.

She noted that Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings exceeded US$5 billion in 2025, with manufactured and semi-processed products accounting for more than 80 per cent of the earnings.

According to her, the Export Ghana agenda and the Accelerated Export Development Programme were intended to help more Ghanaian businesses access larger markets, particularly through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which offers access to a market of about 1.3 billion people with a combined GDP of over US$3 trillion.

The Minister further said the 24-Hour Economy provided a wider framework for making better use of factories, cold-chain facilities, transportation, tourism and other productive assets while creating additional employment opportunities.

She urged the organizers of CENTRAL EXPO to ensure that the benefits of the fair extended beyond the exhibition period, stressing that its success should increasingly be measured by the businesses that secure new customers, distributors, financing, investment partnerships and access to larger markets through the platform.

The Central Regional Minister, Hon. Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, in his message, described the fifth anniversary of CENTRAL EXPO as a significant milestone in the Region’s efforts to transform its history, culture and heritage into jobs, wealth and capital for its people.

He said the Expo had grown beyond an exhibition into an economic platform where bead makers could connect with exporters, fisherfolk with cold-chain investors, and farmers, weavers, potters, hoteliers, start-ups and students with new opportunities.

The Regional Minister said the Central Region’s tourism and heritage assets, arable land, youthful and enterprising population, vibrant SME sector and strong educational base positioned it to attract increased investment. She said the fifth anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate five years of consistency and growth, open the Region further to investors and development partners, empower young people and women, and project the Central Region to the world.

The Omanhene of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Dr. Kwesi Atta II, also welcomed participants to Cape Coast and underscored the important role of traditional authorities in supporting trade, tourism, investment and sustainable development in the Region.

He called for stronger collaboration among Government, the private sector, traditional authorities and development partners to unlock the Central Region’s economic potential and create meaningful opportunities for its people.

The 5th Anniversary of CENTRAL EXPO brought together government officials, traditional leaders, businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, exhibitors, development partners and other stakeholders to showcase products, services, investment opportunities and the rich cultural and tourism potential of the Central Region.

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PR & COMMS UPDATE

31/08/2026