President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to finance the construction of three additional textile factories in 2027 as part of efforts to expand Ghana’s garment industry and create employment opportunities for young people.
The President said the factories would be developed in collaboration with private-sector investors under the government’s proposed $10 billion New Economy Programme.
Speaking during a working visit to Dignity Do The Right Thing (DTRT), a Ghanaian-owned garment manufacturing company operating in the Tema Free Zones enclave, President Mahama said the textile and garment sector remained one of the most employment-intensive industries in the economy.
During the working visit to the Bright International Industrial Zone at Afienya, President Mahama toured Huaguang Battery (Ghana), Qianfeng International Corporation Limited (Ghana), Jiudine Ghana Corporation, Zema New Energy and the Funsheen Truck Assembly Plant.
Qianfeng International Corporation Limited manufactures sports vests and caps, while Jiudine Ghana Corporation produces T-shirts and sweaters. Zema New Energy specialises in the production of solar panels and batteries, while Huaguang Battery (Ghana) is engaged in battery manufacturing. The President also inspected operations at the Funsheen Truck Assembly Plant.
The visit provided President Mahama with an opportunity to assess industrial activities in the zone and observe the contribution of the factories to local manufacturing, employment and Ghana’s industrialisation drive.
He explained that the government intended to support businesses in the sector through financing, appropriate incentives and skills training to enable them to expand production and employ more Ghanaians.
“Under the New Economy Programme, we are going to spend two billion dollars every year in job-rich sectors like textiles and garments,” he said.
“So, next year alone, we are going to finance the construction of three more textile factories. This will be done in collaboration with the private sector, with entrepreneurs like this.”
President Mahama said the expansion of the textile industry was particularly important as increasing numbers of young people completed their education under the Free Senior High School programme.
He stressed that the country needed to create sufficient employment opportunities to absorb school leavers entering the labour market.
“As we produce more of our children through the Free SHS system, when they come out of school, we must be able to find ready jobs for them,” he said.
The President described the textile and garment industry as a major source of employment, particularly for women, and said the government was determined to support businesses capable of creating jobs on a large scale.
During the visit to DTRT, he disclosed that the company had grown from approximately 500 workers when he first visited its operations in Accra to more than 6,000 employees.
He praised the company’s management for its persistence and commitment to training workers, particularly women recruited from among head porters, popularly known as kayayei.
President Mahama also announced that the government would support training for workers expected to operate DTRT’s planned new factory, which is projected to accommodate about 5,000 workers per shift across three shifts.
He said the government would subsidise the training costs to help the company prepare its workforce and bring the facility into operation.
The President expressed confidence that stronger collaboration between government and domestic investors would expand Ghana’s manufacturing capacity and create sustainable employment opportunities.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭