Fresh debate has emerged over Ghana’s latest investment opportunities project, as the IMANI Center for Policy and Education has questioned whether the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) is genuinely working toward a level playing field or merely documenting existing inequalities.
The GIPC’s new Investment Opportunities Mapping Project (IOMP), aimed at cataloguing potential projects in all 261 districts across the country, is being seen as a positive step. However, IMANI Africa warned that deeper structural issues could derail the initiative.
Franklin Cudjoe, President of IMANI Africa, stated that the project’s framework seems straightforward. A digital platform is being developed to document viable investment zones, such as the Volta Economic Corridor and Kumasi Tech Park, in order to attract investors more evenly across Ghana’s regions.
While the initiative appears to promise a more balanced investment environment, the real question, according to Cudjoe, is whether the root causes of unequal development are being addressed.
“…Real transformation demands we look past this. If Ghana’s investment pattern is skewed, is it because the state keeps choosing winners unfairly, or because some districts are simply unprepared?
“Fair Distribution assumes the government and GIPC have the power and duty to intentionally steer capital into overlooked areas. Under this model, unequal investment is a matter of biased choices, and the solution is simple: spread projects better, give every region a chance, and correct for past neglect.”
Franklin Cudjoe
According to Cudjoe, this approach presumes that unequal investment arises from biased choices and can be resolved by spreading projects more evenly, giving every district a fair share.
However, Cudjoe argued that the issue may run deeper than policy bias. Under the “Infrastructure Readiness” view, districts may not attract investors simply because they lack the basic conditions required for investment to succeed.
He highlighted common problems such as inadequate roads, unreliable electricity, inconsistent water supply, contested land ownership, and a shortage of local technical partners.
In such cases, Cudjoe pointed out that underinvestment stems not from bias, but from practicality.
Many districts, particularly those far from Ghana’s southern hubs, continue to suffer from chronic underinvestment. While such areas might appear on policy documents or glossy brochures, structural deficiencies prevent real economic development.
According to IMANI Africa, the GIPC’s IOMP attempts to change this trend by cataloguing district-level investment opportunities.
However, without fundamental improvements in infrastructure and local capacity, Cudjoe warned that the platform may simply become a database of inaccessible potential.
True Investment Equity Requires Practical Groundwork
Although the online platform represents progress, IMANI fears that without addressing real-world conditions, it could amount to little more than a list of unviable projects.
Accordingly, Franklin Cudjoe questioned whether the GIPC is taking meaningful steps to ensure that what is being mapped can actually attract investment.
He asked whether incentives are being provided to investors willing to take risks in difficult regions, and whether Ghana’s decentralization efforts are equipping local authorities with the necessary tools and resources to foster development.
“If the IOMP is to succeed beyond the mapping, then the following must be clear: Bankability support. Districts need help not just to identify projects but to package and pitch them, backed by solid numbers and risk assessments.”
Franklin Cudjoe
He noted that “Bankability support” is essential for underdeveloped areas that cannot currently compete on equal footing.
Cudjoe also highlighted the need for what he termed “incentive matching”. Regions that are least prepared for investment must receive targeted support packages, including blended finance, risk-sharing mechanisms, and specific incentives designed to offset their disadvantages.
Without these measures, he warned, the GIPC’s mapping project will remain largely aspirational.
He stressed that achieving balanced national development requires acknowledging the disparities between regions.
Cudjoe argued that treating unequal regions equally will only perpetuate inequality. Instead, policymakers must be willing to offer more intensive support where the need is greatest.
While the GIPC’s mapping project represents an important starting point, Cudjoe insisted that the initiative must go beyond mere cataloguing.
“GIPC’s mapping project is a good beginning, but it won’t fix investment gaps unless we pair it with deliberate infrastructure choices, targeted incentives, and active matchmaking. Mapping is the easy part.”
Franklin Cudjoe
IMANI Africa concluded that the real challenge lies in transforming mapped opportunities into tangible investments.
Without addressing the underlying barriers that keep investors away, Ghana risks maintaining its pattern of regional imbalances, leaving many districts trapped in cycles of economic stagnation.
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