The Team Lead of the Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Program (GPSCP II), Juliana Ofori-Karikari, is calling for coordination, governance, and competitiveness to strengthen Ghana’s growing tree crop sector.

The Ghana Private Sector Competitiveness Program II (GPSCP II) is initiated through a bilateral initiative between the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and the Government of Ghana and is being implemented jointly by NIRAS International Consulting and Proforest.

Speaking at a policy development workshop jointly organised by the Business Regulatory Reform Unit of MOTAI and GPSCPII, aimed at collaboratively designing a subproject focused on enhancing policy coherence and institutional leadership across these value chains, Team Lead Juliana Ofori-Karikari said the success of this intervention hinges on the willingness of every institution to embrace radical transparency and collaboration.

“The tree crop sector, particularly cashew and oil palm, is not just an agricultural activity; it is a pillar of our national development. This sector holds immense, untapped potential for driving significant economic growth and generating crucial foreign exchange earnings,” she mentioned.

Charlotte Afudego, the Private Sector Development Specialist from SECO (Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs), reaffirmed the commitment of the Government of Switzerland for its continued financial and technical support toward Ghana’s tree crop agenda, describing SECO’s contribution as vital to building a globally competitive sector.

By building on the achievements of GPSCP Phase I, the second phase (GPSCP II) aims to continuously provide an enabling environment for the cashew and palm oil sectors and contribute to higher private sector productivity and competitiveness by fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.

Participants at the workshop focused on deriving a coordination framework, including an inter-ministerial coordination platform co-chaired by MoFA and MoTAI, to align mandates and clarify institutional roles.

 The three-day workshop marks the beginning of a comprehensive process to streamline regulatory functions and build a harmonised governance system for the cashew and oil palm value chains.