President Mahama Drives Industrial Expansion with Northshore Apparel Launch and $270m Poultry Investment

President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated the Northshore Apparel Hub in Savelugu, marking a significant milestone in Ghana's industrialization agenda. As the nation's first regenerative, zero-waste manufacturing facility, the hub is a cornerstone of the government's 24-Hour Economy Programme. Currently operating around the clock, the facility has already generated over 2,300 direct jobs and is projected to employ 10,000 people at full capacity. Funded through a partnership between GEXIM, KfW, and the ADB, the hub aims to position Ghana as a competitive player in the global garment market while curbing rural-urban migration by providing sustainable employment in the Northern Region.

Parallel to the textile expansion, the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat (24H+) has secured a landmark US$270 million investment for the National Poultry Transformation Programme. The agreement, signed with partners including UK-based Agrium Capital, Petra Trust, and Ghana EXIM Bank, represents the largest UK agrifood investment in Ghana to date. This initiative is designed to create 12,000 direct jobs and develop an integrated poultry value chain capable of producing up to 50,000 tonnes of processed broiler products annually. By boosting domestic production, the government seeks to drastically reduce the US$400 million currently spent each year on poultry imports, retaining that capital within the local economy.

The industrial push extends to the Central Region, where Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare recently inspected the site for a new garment factory in Cape Coast. Following President Mahama’s commitment to establish textile facilities across multiple regions, the Cape Coast project is expected to become operational within the next two months. This expansion is part of a broader strategy to utilize accessible locations for youth employment and industrial growth, mirroring the success of the Savelugu hub. Local community leaders and traditional authorities have expressed strong support for these projects, citing their potential to revitalize local infrastructure and empower the youth.

To ensure the long-term viability of these investments, President Mahama has announced plans to amend national procurement policies to prioritize locally manufactured goods. This policy shift is intended to guarantee a domestic market for the increased output from new factories and poultry farms. Presidential Adviser Augustus Goosie Tanoh emphasized that these initiatives, coupled with the development of an air cargo hub at Tamale International Airport and new agricultural corridors, are essential for transforming Ghana into an export-led economy. These integrated efforts signal a robust commitment to reducing unemployment and achieving food security through strategic international partnerships and aggressive local industrialization.