Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Julius DebrahThe Government of Ghana is looking to deepen partnerships with Chinese manufacturers as a strategic move to address the widening trade imbalance between the two countries.
Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Julius Debrah, disclosed this at the opening ceremony of the 5-day Ghana-China Business Summit in Accra on Monday, June 23.
He said while China’s exports to Ghana in 2023 stood at over $3.7 billion, Ghana’s exports to China were only about $1.8 billion, a development the government considers unsustainable.
“What this suggests is that we need to find a way to try and bridge the gap, but there’s a way to go about it,” Mr. Debrah stated.
According to him, the John Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government intends to encourage Chinese manufacturers to set up assembly plants and new factories in Ghana to reduce the export gap and boost local production.
“We want to encourage as many Chinese manufacturers as possible to possibly consider having assembly plants or new entities established in Ghana,” he said, adding, “That way, you’re solving a distance problem and getting closer to the West African market.”
Mr. Debrah noted that over 560 Chinese businesses have so far expressed interest in operating in Ghana, with over 100 already running manufacturing plants across the country.
The Chief of Staff also pointed to the country’s geographic advantage, accessible air links, and international ports as critical incentives for Chinese investors to consider the country as a strategic business hub in the sub-region.
As part of the government’s resetting agenda, he added that the government’s 24-hour economy policy, which would be launched on July 1, will enable businesses to run three shifts with incentives to increase productivity.
He assured the visiting Chinese delegation of government’s readiness to provide the needed support to help them establish and thrive.
“Any Chinese entity willing to establish a manufacturing plant in Ghana would be welcome, will be encouraged, will be supported and will be pushed to be successful,” he assured.
