At a public lecture in Accra to mark the fifth anniversary of Energy News Africa Ltd., Dr. Ishmael Dodoo, a governance and development expert at the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, sounded a strong warning about the country’s growing dependence on foreign imports particularly from China and called for a national push toward building local industries through a deliberate, long-term strategy.
Dr. Dodoo, speaking on the theme “24-Hour Economy: Can Ghana’s Current Energy Situation Support This?”, explained that the conversation goes beyond politics or slogans. For him, the matter is simple but urgent: The country must rise to reclaim its economic voice by building what it consumes and creating jobs through targeted investments in agriculture and pharmaceuticals. The country, he argued, is losing not just its market share but also its intellectual property to foreign powers.
“Right now, Ghana produces only 20 percent of what it needs. The remaining 80 percent comes from China,” Dr. Dodoo lamented. “The Chinese are not only producing for us; they’ve gone ahead to produce Fugu our traditional smock and are exporting it to Canada. They’ve taken our know-how and our patents.” According to him, the issue is not simply about choosing Ghana over others; it is about placing the country where it truly belongs, among nations that produce, innovate, and set global standards.
Dr. Dodoo pointed to cassava as an example of a crop with untapped potential. “We shouldn’t just think of cassava in terms of fufu. Industrial starch, glucose, fructose, and ethanol are all products we can develop from it, creating industries and jobs,” he said. He added that West Africa’s economy currently stands at over $20.57 million annually a growing market that Ghana is not taking full advantage of.
Touching on the pharmaceutical sector, he reminded the audience that Ghana was once a hub for manufacturing essential drugs in the 1960s. “We’ve done it before, and we can do it again. But this time, we must scale it up,” he insisted. Dr. Dodoo explained that agriculture and pharmaceuticals aren’t just sectors; they’re job creators that will absorb trained professionals in large numbers if well developed.
He also spotlighted the growing local demand for textiles, noting that the country consumes about 100 million yards a year. This, he said, presents another missed opportunity for local producers who should be leading that market.
Throughout his address, Dr. Dodoo kept a steady focus on the importance of strategic planning. He said the idea of a 24-hour economy is not merely about working around the clock; it is about having the industries, energy capacity, and systems in place to support continuous production. He urged stakeholders to wake up to the opportunities slipping through Ghana’s fingers while countries like China move fast to dominate markets that once belonged to Africa.
The event drew a wide range of participants, including government officials, researchers, private sector players, and the media, all of whom listened attentively as Dr. Dodoo laid out his argument for a renewed national direction.
