President John Dramani Mahama has stressed that building a strong steel industry is key to Ghana’s infrastructure ambitions and regional economic leadership.

Speaking at the B5 Plus Ltd steel manufacturing plant commissioning on the value chain of local manufacturing, Mahama said, “We are exporting finished and semi-finished products, not raw scrap.”

He highlighted the government’s Big Push infrastructure programme, which he says is driving investments across multiple sectors.

“Government is investing heavily in roads and highways, railway modernization, bridges and interchanges, energy transmission lines, affordable housing, and industrial parks,” Mahama said.

President Mahama emphasised the critical role of steel in national and continental development.

"All these I have mentioned require iron and steel,” he noted, adding that “Africa has projected to require over 100 billion annually in infrastructure development,” with West Africa alone facing significant infrastructure deficits.

He argued that a robust domestic steel sector could serve both national and regional needs. “If Ghana develops a strong steel base, we will not only build our own roads and bridges, we will also supply steel to the whole sub-region,” he said.

He described the link between infrastructure and industrial strategy: “This is how infrastructure becomes industrial strategy.”

On energy-intensive industries, he added, “The 24-hour economy program is particularly relevant to energy-intensive industries such as steel manufacturing.”

President Mahama also highlighted his role in strengthening industrial policy, noting, “I had the honor and privilege yesterday to sign the 24-hour Authority bill into law.”

He made it clear that investments in local steel production are central to Ghana’s vision of industrial growth, job creation, and regional leadership in infrastructure supply.