John Mahama launches construction of 1,238-acre Afienya Industrial Park

President John Mahama has officially inaugurated the construction of the 1,238-acre Afienya Industrial Park, a strategic development designed to establish Ghana as a leading manufacturing and logistics hub. Managed by the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), the park is expected to house over 120 enterprises, providing serviced plots and factory shells to accommodate businesses as the nearby Tema Export Processing Zone reaches capacity. The President highlighted that the site offers litigation-free land, making it an attractive destination for foreign direct investment and a primary base for companies looking to export across the African continent.

The project is a cornerstone of the government’s New Economy Programme, which involves a projected US$10 billion investment over four years to stimulate growth in high-impact sectors. Under this plan, the government intends to commit US$2 billion annually toward productive areas such as cocoa processing, textiles, garments, and renewable energy. During an industrial tour of the Afienya and Tema enclaves, President Mahama emphasized the role of industrialization in job creation, citing Dignity DTRT Limited as a prime example. The garment manufacturer has expanded its workforce from 500 to more than 6,000 employees, the majority of whom are women, demonstrating the potential of local industrial scaling.

In addition to the sod-cutting ceremony, the President visited several manufacturing firms, including Jiudine Ghana Corporation and Huaguang New Energy Battery Ghana Limited, to inspect operations and discuss infrastructure needs. Acknowledging private sector concerns, President Mahama announced an upcoming meeting with key government institutions to address the impact of the new Customs Act of 2026 on Free Zones incentives. This engagement aims to resolve business grievances and ensure that legislative frameworks support local manufacturing while leveraging the market access provided by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).