The recent Government Accountability Series presentation by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, offers one of the most comprehensive accountability briefings in recent years.

Anchored firmly in President John Dramani Mahama’s broader economic vision of structural transformation, job creation, and inclusive growth, the presentation signals a deliberate shift from policy intent to measurable action.

It reflects a Ministry that is not only aware of Ghana’s deep-seated structural challenges but is actively attempting to confront them through trade expansion, agribusiness development, industrial revival, and regulatory reform.

One of the strongest elements of the presentation is its clear alignment with a coherent national vision built around six strategic pillars: manufacturing growth, agribusiness transformation, domestic trade empowerment, export promotion, informal sector formalisation, and improvement of the business environment.

This clarity matters. Too often, policy presentations suffer from fragmentation; here, the Ministry presents a relatively integrated reform narrative.

The decision to realign the Ministry’s mandate from Trade and Industry to Trade, Agribusiness and Industry is particularly significant. It acknowledges a fundamental truth about Ghana’s economy: the country cannot industrialise sustainably without first fixing its agribusiness foundations. This institutional realignment goes beyond symbolism.

It is backed by a wide ecosystem of agencies and state-owned enterprises intended to translate policy into delivery. However, the sheer breadth of institutions involved also presents risks. Without strong coordination mechanisms and clear performance accountability across agencies, overlapping mandates and bureaucratic inertia could weaken outcomes. Institutional ambition must therefore be matched by disciplined execution.

The Accelerated Export Development Programme (AEDP) stands out as one of the Ministry’s most notable successes. The reported USD 2.54 billion in non-traditional export earnings in just the first half of 2025 representing a 41.21 per cent year-on-year increase is impressive by any standard.

More importantly, the export story is no longer narrowly commodity driven. Market diversification into Japan, Morocco, China, and intra-African corridors, alongside growth in horticulture, handicrafts, and ICT-enabled services, reflects a more sophisticated export strategy.

Yet, beneath these encouraging numbers lies a critical question: sustainability. Export growth cannot rely indefinitely on episodic trade deals or international fairs.

The presentation offers limited insight into exporter survival rates, SME capacity constraints, and the readiness of logistics and cold-chain infrastructure. Without addressing these fundamentals, Ghana risks experiencing bursts of export success that fail to translate into lasting competitiveness.

The Rapid Industrialisation for Jobs Initiative similarly reflects ambition and forward thinking. Policy frameworks for textiles, pharmaceuticals, automotive components, and electric vehicles position Ghana within emerging global value chains.

Partnerships to establish EV assembly plants, in particular, signal an intention to leapfrog into future industries. Still, the revival of defunct state-owned enterprises remains a delicate undertaking. History shows that SOEs can quickly become fiscal liabilities if governance failures, political interference, and weak commercial discipline are not decisively addressed.

Sentiment cannot substitute for viability; difficult decisions, including public-private partnerships or partial privatisation, may be unavoidable.

Agribusiness is arguably the most socially transformative component of the Ministry’s agenda. Programmes such as Feed the Industry, the rollout of agro-processing facilities across multiple regions, and the integration of smallholder farmers into structured value chains speak directly to rural livelihoods and food security.

The introduction of green technologies, including solar dryers that significantly reduce post-harvest losses, points to innovation beyond traditional agriculture. However, production expansion without guaranteed market access remains risky. Without structured off-taker arrangements, farmers and processors may still face price volatility and unsold output.

The Ministry’s focus on inclusion through the Apprenticeship to Entrepreneurship Programme and initiatives targeting women in trade and agribusiness—is commendable.

Training over 155,000 practitioners and supporting women-led cross-border trade reflects a genuine commitment. Still, training alone is not transformation. Long-term impact will depend on whether these entrepreneurs can access finance, scale operations, and remain viable beyond the initial support phase.

Regulatory reform is another area of quiet but important progress. Digital tracking systems, Ghana’s B-Ready self-assessment, and ongoing legislative reforms strengthen the country’s competitiveness narrative. However, real reform will only be felt when these changes are fully embedded at district and municipal levels, where most businesses interact with the state.

Going forward, several priorities stand out. Coordination across agencies must be strengthened through unified performance dashboards and outcome-based accountability. Export growth must be deepened through investments in logistics, cold-chain infrastructure, and export risk-mitigation tools.

SOE revitalisation should be guided strictly by commercial logic. Agribusiness expansion must be matched with guaranteed markets, including through AfCFTA opportunities. Training programmes must evolve into long-term enterprise incubation, supported by blended finance instruments. Finally, regulatory reforms must be institutionalised at the sub-national level.

Overall, the presentation reflects a Ministry that is reform-minded, data-driven, and increasingly results-oriented. The achievements are real and encouraging.

The challenge now is to convert momentum into durability. With disciplined execution and targeted follow-through, the Ministry is well positioned to turn short-term gains into lasting national prosperity.

The writer, Professor Evans Akwasi Gyasi, is an Associate Professor of International Trade and the Founder of Trade Growth Network.