Ghana’s Trade Minister Champions Local Industries with Import Substitution Strategy

The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to promoting import substitution and positioning made-in-Ghana goods as synonymous with high quality and global standards.

Speaking on Accra based Citi FM on Friday August 1, 2025, the Minister highlighted key policy interventions aimed at transforming Ghana’s agribusiness landscape and strengthening the country’s economic resilience.

“Import substitution is a crucial part of our strategy because it makes our cedi story stronger and allows us to better assure the quality of products consumed locally,” she stated. “If something goes wrong, we can easily trace the source and take corrective action, unlike imported goods, where tracing the origin is often difficult.”

She revealed that government, through regulatory bodies such as the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), and National Security, has intensified inspections at local companies to ensure compliance with quality standards. “All companies must be on red alert,” she warned, “because we can enter your facility at any time to verify the quality of products you are producing for Ghanaians.”

According to Hon. Ofosu-Adjare, the goal is to build a strong national brand around made-in-Ghana products—one that is trusted for its quality and reliability. “We want to associate made-in-Ghana goods with high quality, and we will not allow anyone to taint that image.”
Beyond import substitution, the Minister outlined broader government plans to transform agribusiness through bold, inclusive, and sustainable policy frameworks. She stressed the need for a national reset in the approach to agribusiness, noting that a comprehensive and coherent policy would offer the clarity, direction, and stability needed to attract investment and partnerships.

“We are working on delivering an agribusiness policy that is rich and forward-looking,” she said, adding that the policy will align with the country’s industrialization and economic transformation agenda.

Touching on rural industrialization, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare emphasized government’s commitment to incentivizing businesses to locate their operations closer to raw material sources. “Siting industries in rural areas will lower production costs and create jobs in local communities,” she explained.

She further advocated for the creation of a one-stop regulatory compliance centre to ease registration and licensing processes for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, she called for the expansion of agro-processing zones and digital platforms to boost productivity, logistics, and market access across the agribusiness value chain.

The Minister also underscored the importance of inclusivity in all government interventions, urging the integration of underserved groups into funding and oversight mechanisms to ensure equal opportunities across the sector.
As Ghana presses forward with its economic transformation agenda, Hon. Ofosu-Adjare made it clear that promoting homegrown solutions and upholding quality standards will remain central to government’s strategy.