President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for private investment and industrial expansion following a working visit to the Bright International Industrial Zone at Afienya in the Greater Accra Region.
The visit on formed part of the President’s tour of industrial facilities at Afienya and the Tema Free Zones Enclave to assess manufacturing activities, investment expansion and employment creation.
The President was accompanied by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare.
President Mahama inspected factories engaged in garment manufacturing, battery production, renewable energy, truck assembly and other industrial activities.
The visit highlighted the government’s industrialisation agenda, particularly the role of private sector investment in expanding domestic production, creating employment and strengthening Ghana’s export capacity.
Addressing the media at the industrial zone, President Mahama said the expansion of factory operations since his previous visit demonstrated growing industrial activity and the potential of the government’s 24-hour economy initiative to create jobs.
“I was here last year, and there were not too many factories established yet. I have come back again, and I can see that many more factories have come up,”
President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama
Industrial Expansion and Employment
The Bright International Industrial Zone has attracted businesses operating across several manufacturing and production sectors.
During the visit,the President inspected Jiudine Ghana Corporation, Huaguang New Energy Battery Ghana Limited, Qianfeng International Corporation Limited, Zema New Energy and One Don Funsheen.
Jiudine Ghana Corporation manufactures ready-made garments, while Qianfeng International Corporation produces caps, hats and other apparel products for local and international markets.
The Huaguang is involved in battery manufacturing, while Zema New Energy produces solar panels and batteries. One Don Funsheen operates in truck and tanker assembly.
The President also visited a facility producing barges intended for transportation on the Volta Lake, an initiative relevant to efforts to strengthen inland water transport between southern Ghana and northern destinations.
These businesses represent different areas of industrial production, including apparel, renewable energy, automotive-related manufacturing and transport equipment.
President Mahama said the growing number of factories was creating employment opportunities for young people, with some businesses operating multiple shifts to maintain production.
“This is what we talk about when we say the 24-hour economy. It is beginning to show the job creation aspect of it, and we’ve seen a lot of young people who have found work and are working in shifts,”
President of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama
President Mahama remarks linked the expansion of manufacturing operations to the government’s broader strategy of encouraging businesses to increase production beyond conventional working hours.
However, sustaining that expansion will require reliable electricity, adequate infrastructure, access to finance and a predictable regulatory environment for investors.
Bright International’s Investment Footprint
The President’s visit to Bright International formed part of a wider engagement with manufacturers in Afienya and Tema. He also visited Dignity DTRT Limited, a Ghanaian-owned garment manufacturer operating within the Tema Free Zones Enclave.
During that visit, he highlighted the company’s expansion and the contribution of domestic investors to industrial development. He also noted that women constituted more than 90 per cent of the workforce in the textiles and garments sector.
The government has identified textiles and garments, agro-processing, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals and automotive assembly as sectors with potential to create employment and strengthen domestic production.
The proposed park is designed to provide serviced industrial plots, factory facilities and essential infrastructure. Its location along the Eastern Corridor Road, with access to the Tema-Mpakadan railway network, is expected to support the movement of goods between industrial facilities, the Port of Tema and inland markets.
The project complements the government’s broader efforts to expand industrial space after the Tema Export Processing Zone reached capacity.
President Mahama’s visit to Bright International therefore comes at a time when the government is seeking to attract additional investment while addressing infrastructure constraints facing existing manufacturers.
The extent to which these initiatives deliver results will depend on implementation, the reliability of utilities, investor confidence and the ability of businesses to compete in domestic and international markets.
For Bright International and other manufacturers, sustained government engagement will be important in addressing operational challenges and supporting further investment.
For Ghana, the wider objective is to convert industrial expansion into productive employment, stronger exports and a more diversified economy.
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