Accra: Mr Goosie Tanoh, the Presidential Advisor for the 24-Hour Economy, has explained that the Government’s Accelerated Export Development Programme (AEDP) is built around three fundamental pillars: Production Transformation, Market Systems Efficiency, and Human Capital Development. He made this disclosure during the inauguration of the 19-Member Accelerated Export Development Advisory Committee, chaired by President John Dramani Mahama at the Presidency in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Tanoh elaborated that through Production Transformation, Ghana could move away from its reliance on raw commodity exports towards exporting value-added products. He stated that by focusing on Supply Chain and Market Efficiency, the government aims to reduce logistics costs for producers, strengthen trade facilitation, and significantly cut down post-harvest losses. Furthermore, through labour power development, the aim is to build a digitally fluent, technically skilled, culturally formidable, and globally competitive workforce.
The inauguration of the Committee fulfills President Mahama’s campaign promise to personally work with industry leaders to eliminate bottlenecks and disincentives hindering the rapid expansion of Ghana’s export sector. This initiative also aligns with his 24-Hour Economy plan, which is designed to boost economic growth and create job opportunities in the country.
Mr Tanoh emphasized that the government could only overcome the inherited economic crisis by aiding producers to expand and diversify production and exports, particularly within the West African subregion and the continent. Despite decades of effort, the nation’s non-traditional exporters earn only $3.5 billion annually, a figure Mr Tanoh described as underwhelming given the nation’s potential. He pointed out that most export earnings still come from cocoa beans, gold, and crude oil, commodities to which little value is added.
He asserted that the principal reason for Ghana’s persistent economic crisis is the lack of self-reliance and robust export industries. The President’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development programme are seen as Ghana’s strategy for structural transformation, which will be implemented alongside prudent macro-economic management and improved governance. The programme envisions a resilient, self-reliant, and globally competitive economy that optimizes asset utilization and creates value for all citizens, especially the most vulnerable.
Mr Tanoh acknowledged the challenges ahead, noting that exporters face numerous regulatory hurdles, including up to 16 steps just to secure necessary pre-export documentation. Navigating ports involves long delays, informal payments, and high costs, while a deficit in accredited laboratories complicates international standard compliance documentation. These barriers deter many Ghanaian firms from venturing into exports.
He also highlighted Ghana’s strategic opportunity in regional and global markets, emphasizing that being home to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat serves as a strategic lever to boost exports. With investments in a diversified production base, quality adherence, efficient logistics, and a well-calibrated market strategy, Ghana could become a central production and export hub in West Africa.
The establishment of the Committee by President Mahama, composed of accomplished champions of Ghanaian industry, signals that transformation will be driven by partnership with people who build, create, innovate, and deliver, rather than by bureaucracy.
