Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed government’s commitment to empowering women and young people through agribusiness, entrepreneurship and local manufacturing, describing them as central to Ghana’s long-term economic resilience.
Speaking after a working visit to the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, she commended the ministry’s deliberate targeting of women and youth across its programmes, particularly in agribusiness and enterprise development.
She cited the revitalisation of the Ghana Regional Appropriate Technology Industrial Service (GRATIS) and ongoing interventions by the Ghana Enterprises Agency, which has trained thousands of young people and women in entrepreneurship.
More than 6,000 starter kits have been distributed, with structured follow-ups to ensure proper utilisation.
“I appreciate the targeting of women and youth in agribusiness,” the Vice President said, noting that inclusive growth must be built into policy design rather than treated as an afterthought.
She also highlighted a dedicated programme to train women in agro-processing for export markets, alongside regulatory reforms aimed at making it easier for businesses to operate and scale.
The Vice President welcomed plans to strengthen the “Made-in-Ghana” agenda, including a policy expected in 2026 that will prioritise locally produced goods. Inter-ministerial discussions are already underway to ensure that uniforms for sectors such as Education, Interior, Defence, and Lands and Natural Resources are sourced locally.
Plans by the ministry to construct new factories in the Central, Bono and Eastern Regions, operationalise agro-processing facilities for poultry, yam and fish, and establish cashew processing plants in Techiman were also discussed during the visit.
Vice President Opoku-Agyemang stressed the importance of coordination across ministries to create what she described as “one economic ecosystem,” capable of supporting domestic production from raw material to finished product.
“My doors remain open to the Ministry,” she said, adding that government will continue to create an enabling environment for industry, agribusiness and trade to prosper.
