Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening Ghana’s trade, agribusiness and industrial base, assuring the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry of full support to deliver on its national development mandate.

She gave the assurance during a working visit to the Ministry on Thursday, December 18, 2025, where she was received by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, together with management, staff and heads of agencies under the Ministry.

The visit, she explained, formed part of broader engagements with key ministries to better understand their work, challenges and support needs, particularly those led by women, in line with efforts to promote inclusive governance.

“I came to see the work you are doing and how we can better support you. We are here to encourage you, appreciate you and assure you that we are committed to helping you do even more for the country,” Professor Opoku-Agyemang said.

She commended the Ministry’s focus on local production, value addition, and women and youth empowerment, urging stronger inter-agency collaboration to accelerate national development.

The Vice President praised initiatives aimed at securing local raw materials, including efforts to revive the sugar value chain and promote rubber cultivation for tyre manufacturing, noting that such programmes create jobs across the entire value chain. She also highlighted the importance of Made-in-Ghana goods to economic resilience.

She pledged to prompt the Minister of Finance to expedite approval of incentives and policies needed to attract investment and expand industry.

Earlier, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare outlined the Ministry’s achievements and plans, citing reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, expanding agribusiness through commercial farming, and boosting value-added manufacturing.

She announced progress on the revival of the Komenda Sugar Factory, expected to become operational in 2026, alongside new garment and agro-processing factories projected to create thousands of jobs.

Expressing appreciation for the visit, she described it as “deeply motivating,” adding, “Your visit tells us that our work matters and that we are being supported at the highest level.”