Beijing: President John Dramani Mahama has extended an open invitation to Chinese investors and business people to enter the Ghanaian market, assuring them of a conducive investment climate. He made this call during the Presidential Business Forum in Beijing, China, as part of his official state visit at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama highlighted Ghana's strategic position as the host of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), offering investors direct access to a $3.4 trillion single market and over 400 million consumers through the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme. He emphasized Ghana's democratic stability of more than 30 years as a key factor for investor confidence.
President Mahama expressed Ghana's openness to business and innovation, specifically inviting partnerships with Chinese counterparts. He outlined a vision centered on a 24-hour economy and an accelerated export development program anchored in the Volta Economic Corridor, which includes irrigation projects, agro-industrial parks, tourism hubs, and modern logistics systems.
He introduced several catalytic projects such as the Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park and the Kumasi Machinery and Technology Park, each offering investment opportunities in sectors like manufacturing and renewable energy. The President also mentioned the Big Push Infrastructure Programme, a $10 billion initiative focused on infrastructure development to enhance Ghana's connectivity to regional markets.
Furthermore, President Mahama detailed Ghana's Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda and the $3 billion Digital Jobs Initiative aimed at preparing the youth for a technology-driven economy, inviting Chinese participation in these ventures. He highlighted the potential in critical minerals and electric vehicle value chains, emphasizing Ghana's readiness to partner with Chinese investors in responsible mining and local processing.
Ghana's legal framework, he explained, protects investments against discrimination and expropriation, ensuring unrestricted repatriation of dividends and adherence to international arbitration mechanisms. He also mentioned the forthcoming Investment Promotion Authority Bill, which aims to abolish minimum capital requirements for foreign investors and facilitate their path to citizenship.
President Mahama concluded by underscoring Ghana's commitment to creating a business-friendly environment through pro-enterprise reforms and modernized public-private partnership frameworks, positioning the country as a prime investment destination in Africa.
