President Mahama sees industrial expansion driving youth employment under 24-hour economy
President John Dramani Mahama says the expansion of factories and industries at the Bright International Industrial Zone demonstrates how the government’s 24-hour economy initiative is creating employment opportunities for young people.
He said the growing number of factories and the introduction of shift work were clear signs that the policy was beginning to deliver on its job creation objectives.
Speaking during a visit to the industrial zone, President Mahama recalled that when he visited the facility last year, relatively few factories had been established. However, his return visit revealed significant expansion, with more factories operating and young people employed across various industries.
“This is what we talk about when we say the 24-hour economy. It is beginning to show the job creation aspect of it,” he said, noting that workers operated in different shifts, including morning, afternoon and evening schedules.
The President visited several factories at the industrial complex, including textile, battery manufacturing, truck manufacturing and steel fabrication facilities. He also highlighted a factory producing barges for transportation on the Volta Lake, which are expected to transport goods from Akosombo to Buipe in the north.
President Mahama acknowledged that the rapid expansion of industrial activities had placed pressure on the existing electricity infrastructure, resulting in power supply challenges in the area.
He said the Minister of Energy and the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) had assured the government that the transformer serving the industrial zone would be replaced within three weeks to improve electricity reliability and enable factories to operate full 24-hour shifts.
The President further announced that the government would accelerate industrial development through the New Economy Programme, which is expected to invest $2 billion annually in sectors with significant job creation potential.
The programme will focus on agriculture and irrigation, agro-processing, pharmaceutical enclaves, renewable energy, tourism and other productive sectors.
President Mahama also highlighted the contribution of women to industrial development, particularly in the textile and garment industries, where he said women accounted for more than 90 per cent of the workforce.
He encouraged entrepreneurs to expand their operations and assured them of the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for businesses to grow.
He said the government would also support manufacturers to obtain the necessary licensing under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), enabling them to move beyond Ghana’s domestic market and supply goods across West Africa and the wider African continent.
President Mahama said the expansion of industrial activity, coupled with investments in productive sectors, would strengthen Ghana’s manufacturing capacity and create more sustainable employment opportunities for the country’s youth.
