By Iddi Yire, GNA
Accra, Oct. 15, GNA – President John Dramani Mahama, on Thursday, cut the sod for the development of Afienya Industrial Park in the Greater Accra Region.
An industrial park is a tract of land planned, subdivided, and zoned specifically for manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, and heavy or light industrial operations.
The Afienya Industrial Park is a strategic initiative of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, designed to create a modern investment-ready industrial environment, capable of attracting export-oriented businesses and supporting Ghana’s industrial transformation.
The Afienya Industrial Park is the latest addition to the Authority’s four existing Zones.
The newly acquired Zone is located in Afienya in the Greater Accra Region and covers 1,238.22 acres (501.10 hectares) of land.
Fourteen companies have already been allocated space in the Afienya Industrial Park.
President Mahama in his remarks said the government was taking an important step towards fulfilling its commitments to make Ghana a manufacturing logistics hub for the West African sub-region.
He said with the start of the construction of the Afienya Industrial Park, they were creating space for businesses to establish and expand for new industries to take root and for more companions to secure productive and decent jobs.
The President said when the Ghana Free Zones Authority informed him that a Tema Exports Processing Zone had no space left to allocate to interested industries, and this was an encouraging sign of the high investor interest in Ghana’s economic progress.
He said it also brought an urgent responsibility into focus that we must provide the infrastructure that enables that demand to translate into factories, jobs and exports and that it was obvious that there was investor interest in Ghana’s economy.
The President said recent figures from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre indicated that foreign direct investments registered, had increased from $624 million dollars in 2024 to $2.62 billion in 2025.
He said all the investors who were bringing their money into the country to invest, needed space to establish their businesses and build their factories; stating that the Afienya industrial park was their response.
President Mahama said at the Park, they aimed to turn the promise of industrial growth into practical opportunity for investors and the surrounding community.
He explained that the Afienya Industrial Park would provide investors with a litigation free land for them to invest.
He call for more investors assuring them of quality services provision including power, water, waste treatment, plan, security, and roads for a serene business environment.
“All you need is come build your factory, bring your machines and start to produce,” President Mahama stated.
President Mahama said for three decades, the Tema Export Processing Zone had made a significant contribution to Ghana’s industrial development.
The Ghana Free Zones Authority, said it had nurtured more than 80 enterprises and generated over the three decades, over $24 billion in export earnings.
He said the Authority also indicated that under the Free Zones scheme, exported goods were worth approximately $3.1 billion in 2025 alone, whereas that of the first six of 2026 was $1.4 billion, which meant that they were on track to either match or suffice last year’s record.
Again, the scheme had also supported approximately 78,000 jobs, and direct jobs of which 98 per cent were held by Ghanaians.
He said behind these figures were households in Tema, Ashaiman, Kpone, Shai Hills and other communities whose livelihoods depended on the opportunities that were created by the Free Zones Authority.
He said they must build on that experience and learn from it and ensure that new industrial developments provided reliable services, stronger links with look-up businesses and lasting benefits for the host communities.
The President said the stability of the Ghanaian economy, which reflected in reduced interest rates, stable currency and lower inflation, was attracting more interest in the Ghanaian economy.
Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, commended the Board, Management and Staff of the Free Zones Authority for being the project into fruition.
Dr Mary Awusi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority, appealed to the President for review of the new Customs Act, which was affecting companies operating in the Free Zones.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo