The Minister of State responsible for Presidential Special Initiatives, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, says trade and bilateral relationship between Ghana and China must not be transactional but transformative to position the country as the factory of Africa.
He said Ghana was ideally located with the right business environment to serve as the business hub of Africa.
Mr Agyekum was speaking at the third day of the ongoing Ghana China Business Summit 2025, dubbed “The Big Push.”
The five-day programme, jointly organised by the SINO-Africa Group, the Government of Ghana and Perfect World Company Limited, is being attended by more than 120 Chinese investors and delegates seeking investment opportunities in Ghana.
Addressing the participants on the theme “Building a Bold Bond between Ghana and China,” Mr Agyekum stressed that Ghana was not looking for short-term deals, but long-term partnerships that would transform the country’s economy through industrialisation, job creation, and infrastructure development.
“We are not here for handshakes; we are here for a trade vision. We are not here to recall old partnerships; we are here to forge a new legacy,” he stated.
He explained that the Big Push agenda, $10-billion industrial and infrastructure programme was aimed at repositioning Ghana as Africa’s leading manufacturing and export hub.
“The Ghana-China relationship must move beyond transactional exchanges. We must build a future of smart, sustainable manufacturing, agro-processing, mobility, and food security,” he said.
Mr Agyekum described the summit as a strategic turning point in the Ghana-China relationship.
“Your presence here is not ceremonial. It is a clear signal that we are advancing transformation,” he told the participants.
He cited Ghana’s stable democracy, access to over 400 million consumers in West Africa, and an enabling business climate as key advantages for the Chinese investors.
“We are offering you not just land, but leverage—the leverage to build with us the Ghana we want to see,” he added.
The Minister said the launch of the government’s 24-hour economy policy was a game-changer for productivity and investment.
“The 24-hour economy is not just a policy; it is a productive revolution. Ghana is ready to lead it. We invite China to partner us in championing this bold agenda,” he stated.
Touching on the trade statistics between the two countries, Mr Agyekum revealed that while Chinese exports to Ghana rose from $3.5 billion in 2022 to $4.1 billion in 2024, Ghana’s exports to China only grew from $1.6 billion to $2.2 billion in the same period.
“This is not a failure. It is a challenge and, more importantly, an opportunity to reshape the trade landscape through industrial collaboration,” he stressed.
He announced several investment-ready projects, including a $10 billion continental trade fair centre in the Volta and Ashanti regions, $3 billion in assembly plants for electric vehicles and motorcycles, $2 billion in national roads, $5 billion for healthcare infrastructure, and $3 billion for energy and climate-smart agriculture.
“I want to see Ghana become the African factory. Instead of going elsewhere to buy, come to Ghana. Build with us,” he urged.
Mr Agyekum reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s trade and bilateral relationship with China, saying “Let us bond beyond protocol. Let us build beyond bureaucracy. Ghana is the right gateway to Africa.
credit: ghanaiantimes
