Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated the Accelerated Export Development Advisory Committee (AEDAC) as part of efforts to turn Ghana into an export-led economy. The 19-member committee, chaired by the President, marks the fulfillment of his 2024 campaign promise to collaborate with industry leaders to remove bottlenecks and disincentives hindering the rapid expansion of Ghana’s export sector. This initiative aims to increase the presence and appeal of Made-in-Ghana goods across the African continent and in international markets. It is also aligned with his 24-Hour Economy plan, which seeks to enhance economic growth and create job opportunities in the country.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama stated that under the AEDAC and the National Export Development Strategy, the goal is to increase Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings from $3.5 billion annually to at least $10 billion by 2030. To achieve this, the focus will be on value addition and economic diversification, as Ghana’s current exports are predominantly low-complexity raw materials such as gold, cocoa, cashew, and timber, all in their raw state. The inauguration of AEDAC represents a significant step towards transforming Ghana’s economy through competitive exports, inclusive industrialization, and strategic integration into regional and global markets.
Despite its potential, President Mahama noted that Ghana’s export sector is constrained by entrenched bottlenecks. He highlighted that nearly 47% of Ghanaian exporters face serious trade obstacles, with non-tariff measures and procedural delays being the primary challenges. Over 52% of the complaints are related to costly and time-consuming technical regulations and the involvement of multiple poorly coordinated agencies. Exporters may require up to 16 different documents just to obtain a certificate of origin. The Ghana Standards Authority, responsible for safeguarding quality, often lacks resources, and the absence of accredited local laboratories forces exporters to rely on foreign testing facilities, increasing costs and causing delays.
At the nation’s ports, overlapping inspections, extended clearance times, and informal fees pose additional burdens for exporters. According to the International Trade Center, these inefficiencies cost Ghana up to $4.3 billion in lost export revenue annually. In the fisheries sector, repeated alerts from the European Union concerning illegal fishing and contamination issues have led to temporary bans, causing significant reputational damage.
President Mahama emphasized the need for change, noting that Ghana ranks 110th out of 133 countries on the Global Economic Complexity Index. He pledged support for private sector partners to invest in agri-processing and light manufacturing. AEDAC will work closely with the private sector, development partners, academia, and regional institutions to dismantle barriers, identify new export opportunities, and drive coordinated reform.
Mr. Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor for 24-Hour Economy, stated that the AEDAC program envisions a resilient, self-reliant, and globally competitive economy that optimizes asset utilization and creates value for all citizens, particularly the most vulnerable. The program is built around three fundamental pillars: production transformation, market systems efficiency, and human capital development.
