Individuals showcasing their products

The Ghana Horticulture Expo 2025 is set to take place from June 11 to 13, 2025, at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

The expo, which is expected to be a turning point for the country’s agricultural and export ambitions, will bring together local and international stakeholders and focus on how innovation, sustainability, and investment could transform Ghana’s horticultural sector into a key driver of economic growth.

Participants will include producers, exporters, researchers, investors, policymakers, as well as representatives from the youth and women-led agribusiness community, and also feature product exhibitions, B2B meetings, and expert-led seminars.

The expo is expected to provide a platform for dialogue on improving supply chains and ensuring long-term sustainability, considering the recognition of Ghana’s horticultural industry in producing crops such as mangoes, pineapples, coconuts, yams, and vegetables.

According to the organisers, the event which will be held under the theme “Innovate, Transform, Sustain: Driving Growth in Ghana’s Horticultural Sector,” will also facilitate conversations on climate resilience, inclusive participation, and regional trade integration.

This move comes alongside Mahama’s 24-Hour Economy plan aimed at boosting economic growth

President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated the Accelerated Export Development Advisory Committee (AEDAC) as part of efforts to transform Ghana into an export-led economy.

The 19-member committee, chaired by the President, marks the fulfillment of his 2024 campaign promise to personally work with industry leaders to remove the bottlenecks and disincentives hindering the rapid expansion of Ghana’s export sector.

This initiative is intended to make Made-in-Ghana goods more available and appreciated across the African continent and in the international marketplace.

The move coincides with his 24-Hour Economy plan, aimed at boosting economic growth and creating job opportunities across the country.

President Mahama stated that under the AEDAC and the National Export Development Strategy, the goal is to increase Ghana’s non-traditional export earnings from $3.5 billion annually to at least $10 billion by 2030.

He noted that achieving this target would require prioritizing value addition and economic diversification.

He emphasized that Ghana’s current exports remain dominated by low-complexity raw materials, such as gold, cocoa, cashew, and timber, all largely exported in their raw state.

The President said the inauguration of the AEDAC represents a critical step in the country’s collective resolve to transform its economy through competitive exports, inclusive industrialization, and purposeful integration into regional and global markets.

He acknowledged that despite its significant potential, Ghana’s export sector is hampered by entrenched bottlenecks.

“Nearly 47 percent of Ghanaian exporters report facing serious trade obstacles, with non-tariff measures and procedural delays accounting for most of these challenges,” he stated.

He added: “Over 52 percent of the complaints relate to costly and time-consuming technical regulations, with multiple poorly coordinated agencies imposing requirements. An exporter may need up to 16 different documents just to obtain a certificate of origin.”

He noted that the Ghana Standards Authority, tasked with safeguarding product quality, is often under-resourced. At the same time, the absence of accredited local laboratories forces exporters to rely on foreign testing facilities, increasing costs and causing unnecessary delays.

He further explained that at the nation’s ports, overlapping inspections, prolonged clearance times, and informal fees create additional burdens for exporters.

According to the International Trade Centre, these inefficiencies cost Ghana up to $4.3 billion in lost export revenue each year.

In the fisheries sector, he said, repeated alerts from the European Union about illegal fishing, hydrocarbon, and heavy metal contamination have led to temporary bans on fish exports, resulting in significant reputational damage.

President Mahama also highlighted that Ghana ranks 110 out of 133 countries on the Global Economic Complexity Index.

“This must change. We will support our private sector partners to invest in agri-processing and light manufacturing,” he said.

He added that AEDAC would collaborate closely with the private sector, development partners, academia, and regional institutions to dismantle barriers, identify new export opportunities, and drive coordinated reform.

Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor for the 24-Hour Economy, stated that the AEDAC programme envisions a resilient, self-reliant, and globally competitive economy that optimizes asset utilization and creates value for all citizens, especially the most vulnerable.

He said the programme is built around three fundamental pillars: production transformation, market systems efficiency, and human capital development.

Inflation in Ghana and interest rates

These restrictions not only impact personal travel but also have broader implications

In May last year, the VisaGuide.World Passport Index released a list of African passports classified as the least powerful.

The system assessed passports from 199 countries and territories based on a range of factors to determine their strength.

Nigeria, Lybia, Sudan, Somalia, among others fell within this category.

Read the full story originally published on May 5, 2024 by Africa.businessinsider.com.

While some African countries offer relatively robust travel options to their citizens, others face stringent restrictions. Passports from these latter nations often grant limited visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to other countries, creating huge barriers to international travel.

These restrictions not only impact personal travel but also have broader implications for business, education, and diplomatic relations.

The VisaGuide.World Passport Index, a system that assesses and ranks passports from 199 countries and territories based on a range of factors to gauge their strength, has unveiled the 2024 rankings, revealing how each country’s passport is positioned.

According toVisaGuide.World’s Passport Index, what sets it apart is that no two passports are ranked the same. It differentiates between diverse visa regulations, including visa-free entry, e-visas, visas on arrival, authorization entry, and visa bans, providing a more precise assessment of international travel convenience.

To achieve this distinct ranking, VisaGuide.World’s Passport Index employ a proprietary Destination Significance Score (DSS) – a combination of many factors which gives each passport unique value.

This score is assigned to each travel destination, considering elements such as entry policies, GDP, Power Index, Tourism Index, and Human Development Index (HDI), among others.

This index is updated monthly to reflect changing global travel dynamics. In Africa, Somalia holds the title for the weakest passport strength, scoring 8.15. Following closely behind are Sudan, with a score of 10.70, and Libya, with a score of 11.08.

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The Government of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to investing in physical fitness and recreational activities as a strategic measure to promote public health and strengthen the country’s sports ecosystem.

This assurance was given during the official launch of the GoFit Ghana Fitness Campaign at the May Day Sweat Fest, held on May 1, 2025, at the Karikari Astroturf Park in Dansoman. The event, organised under the theme “Inspiring Healthy Lifestyle Nationwide,” brought together hundreds of Ghanaians for a morning of fitness and wellness activities, spearheaded by the  Afrofit/Gofit Ghana Team supported by the Ministry of Sports and Recreation.

Representing the Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Adams, the Chief Director of the Ministry, William Kartey, expressed the government’s resolve to make physical exercise a national priority. He explained that the recent change of the ministry’s name to include ‘Recreation’ signifies a broader agenda that goes beyond professional sports to include grassroots and recreational activities that improve the well-being of citizens.

“This forms part of a nationwide initiative to inspire healthy lifestyles through sports and physical activity,” he said, adding that the Ministry was focused on directing more attention to the entire sports ecosystem. 

“We believe this will improve social conditions, reduce lifestyle-related diseases, and even stimulate local economic development.”

He also pointed out that the government’s investment in physical fitness was part of a larger vision to position Ghana as a competitive player in the growing global sports economy, which is currently valued at over $700 billion. 

“A healthy nation is a wealthy nation,” he emphasised, calling on citizens to adopt regular physical activity as part of their daily lives.

May Day Sweat fest
The May Day Sweat Fest featured energetic aerobic sessions, intense power workouts, and interactive fun games that encouraged community participation. Participants also benefited from free health screening services and had the opportunity to network and explore wellness product activations, all designed to promote awareness about healthy living.

Mr Kartey who represented the Sports Minister as the Special Guest of Honour, officially launched the Gofit Ghana  project and lauded the organisers, AfroFit Global Foundation (AGF), the Functional Sports League Ghana (FSLG), and the National Sports for All Association Ghana (NASFAAG) for initiating such a crucial health-driven campaign.

Also present was the President of the Functional Sports League Ghana, Charles Owusu Ansah, who highlighted the importance of extending the campaign across the nation. He noted the growing threat of non-communicable diseases in Ghana and stressed the need for public education and preventive strategies rooted in exercise and proper nutrition. 

“What we did today was at the community level. We will soon move to the regional and national levels to ensure the message reaches every Ghanaian,” he said.

For his part, the Executive Director of Afrofit Foundation Johnson Kwame Otoo said, “the Ghana Gofit Campaign marked the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s health and wellness journey-one driven by collaboration between government and private organisations to create a culture of fitness and wellbeing for generations to come.”

Engineer and policy analyst Michael Kosi Dedey has raised doubts about the tangible impact of President John Mahama’s much-publicized 120-day contract, claiming that only nine of the 26 outlined promises hold real value, while the rest are “largely symbolic and cosmetic.”

He emphasized that a closer look at the 26 deliverables reveals that most of them lack measurable benefits for the public.

“I think that we need to look at what the value is in the proposition before us in terms of the 24 items that were put to us, and when I went through them, only nine of them are worthy. The rest are largely symbolic and cosmetic,” Dedey said.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Wednesday, May 7, he questioned the significance of certain pledges, such as the rapid appointment of ministers, which he believes should be a given, not celebrated as an achievement.

“If you say you will appoint your ministers in a short time, really, what is the value to us? You have been given a mandate to run a country, so there are things you need to do,” he added.

Dedey also voiced concern over the lack of enforcement mechanisms if the promises are not met. “If these 26 items are not done, really, what is the replication? Is there any punishment? Nothing. So for me, a lot of them are cosmetic, not much value to it,” he said.

He criticized the proposal for a Women’s Bank, arguing that existing financial institutions could better address the issue of women’s access to loans without the need for a specialized bank.

“I do not think it’s of any value. There are already existing banks. If you think that women are disadvantaged in terms of loans, you simply issue some direction to the Bank of Ghana for women to be given the preference that is required. The idea of creating a specialized Women’s Bank is completely unnecessary,” Dedey argued.

Meanwhile, the Mahama administration has reported progress on several fronts, claiming to have fulfilled key pledges within the 120-day framework. These include the swift nomination and approval of a full cabinet, which government officials say reflects Mahama’s commitment to fast-tracking governance.

The administration has also reduced the number of ministers and presidential staffers as part of a lean governance promise. Another notable achievement is the implementation of a Code of Conduct for political appointees, aimed at promoting transparency and ethical leadership.

Economically, the government has convened a National Economic Dialogue to engage stakeholders in crafting a sustainable recovery strategy, while a similar National Education Dialogue was held to recalibrate education policy.

Social initiatives like the “Tree for Life” and “Blue Water” programs have been launched for reforestation and water resource management, while the No Fee Stress initiative aims to reduce financial pressures on parents with children in basic schools.

Additionally, the government has scrapped several taxes, including the E-Levy, Betting Tax, and Emissions Levy, and plans to remove the Covid-19 Levy in the upcoming budget.

Despite these developments, critics like Michael Kosi Dedey maintain that many of the promises remain redundant and fail to deliver lasting impact.

The Chief Executive of Stanbic Bank Ghana, Kwamina Asomaning, has called for urgent and systemic reforms within Ghana’s agricultural value chain, describing the current food security situation as both an economic and sustainability crisis.

Speaking at the Graphic Business/Stanbic Bank Breakfast Meeting in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Asomaning highlighted the steep rise in food prices and their wider economic implications, urging key stakeholders to address the vulnerabilities undermining the country’s food system.

“Today’s theme, ‘The Future of Food: The Critical Place of Sustainable Practices’, is not just timely; it is essential, in alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2,  which seeks to achieve zero hunger.

This is a call to action for all of us working across Ghana’s food ecosystem,” he said.

Mr Asomaning expressed concern over the escalating cost of food, identifying food inflation as the largest contributor to Ghana’s overall inflation.

“Let us be clear; the single biggest driver of Ghana’s overall inflation is food inflation,” he stated.

“As of March 2025, food inflation stands at 26.5 per cent. According to the World Bank’s February 2025 Food Security Update, Ghana had the highest food inflation rate among lower middle-income countries in Africa, reaching 27.8 per cent in December 2024,” he said.

He stressed that inflation had had real and painful effects on households, leading to dietary changes and rising malnutrition.

“Staple foods — (such as) maize, tomatoes, onions, gari — have more than doubled in price in recent years.

Families are adjusting, not just how they spend, but how they eat.

Protein is disappearing from dinner plates. Nutritional gaps are widening,” he added.

The Stanbic boss attributed much of the crisis to structural weaknesses in the agricultural value chain, including limited access to modern tools, poor financing options for smallholder farmers, low irrigation coverage, and inadequate post-harvest infrastructure.

“Over 80 per cent of our farmers are smallholders, many without access to modern tools or to financing.

Only three per cent of our cultivated land, and this is an estimate, is irrigable. Up to 30 per cent of our food is lost at harvest, food that could feed millions,” he pointed out.

Mr Asomaning warned that unless sustainable solutions were implemented, the economic consequences would deepen.

“High inflation continues to have damaging effects on Ghana’s economy.

It erodes purchasing power, reduces savings, creates business uncertainty and drives up interest rates,” he said.

“It also fuels currency depreciation, worsens income inequality and puts immense strain on public finances,” he added.

He proposed a rethink of the national approach to food production and distribution.

“Could improving rural storage and cold chain infrastructure help (to) reduce the billions we lose each year in post-harvest losses and lower prices for consumers?

Might scaling up irrigation protect farmers and markets from climate shocks?” he asked.

He also challenged the audience to consider how targeted financing, government policy, private investment, consumer behaviour and agri-tech could work together to create a more resilient food system.

“I certainly don’t claim to have all the answers,” he said, “but I believe that expertise and insight in this room can help us begin to chart a sustainable and inclusive path forward.”

The event, organised in partnership with Graphic Communications Group Ltd, brought together key figures in academia, finance, agriculture and technology.

It featured presentations from the Chair of the National Cyber Intelligent and Cyber Defence Research Project, Professor Kester Quist-Aphetsi; the Founder of Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa; and a financial risk manager and sustainability and climate risk professional, Professor Francis Atsu.

The breakfast meeting is part of a quarterly thought leadership series aimed at influencing policy and encouraging cross-sector collaboration to address Ghana’s most pressing economic challenges.

Economist Samuel Worlanyo Mensah says the recent appreciation of the Ghana Cedi and reduction in fuel prices may not lead to a corresponding drop in the prices of goods due to the country’s manual approach to economic management.

Dr. Mensah stated that until Ghana adopts an automated economic analysis and decision-making system, such changes in macroeconomic indicators would not automatically reflect in the daily lives of ordinary Ghanaians.

He told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that the structure of Ghana’s economy does not support seamless price adjustments in response to positive economic indicators.

“While the strengthening of the Cedi and the falling fuel prices are commendable developments, that alone cannot guarantee a reduction in the cost of living,” said Dr. Mensah, who is also a cleric.

He added: “We have not re-profiled the economy for automation, and there are manual dimensions involved in price reductions, especially in transport fares.”

Dr. Mensah explained that because the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) determines transport fares manually through consultations and calculations, rather than through automated pricing models, this process delays the expected fare reductions, even when fuel prices decrease.

He urged Ghanaians not to expect immediate reductions in the prices of goods and services, but rather to anticipate a period of stability.

“Our expectations should be stability instead of reduction, because stability also leads to improvement in our standard of living,” he noted.

Meanwhile, some commuters in Nungua and Tema have expressed frustration that the reduction in pump prices has yet to translate into lower transport fares.

“I spend nearly GH¢26 on transport daily, and this has not changed even though we hear fuel prices are decreasing. I am surprised we’re all quiet about it, but something must be done,” said Asare Nyako, a civil servant.

Prince Kofi Nyantakyi, a former parliamentary aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in Asutifi South in the Ahafo region, has called for structural reforms within the party, particularly regarding how vice-presidential candidates are selected.

He is advocating that all NPP flagbearer aspirants should present their proposed running mates to the party for approval before they are cleared to contest in internal primaries.

According to Mr Nyantakyi, such a move would ensure that party members are aligned with the vice-presidential choices, thereby avoiding future internal discontent that could affect the party’s electoral fortunes.

“Candidates often select running mates after winning the flagbearership who may not necessarily be the people’s choice,” he stated in an interview with JoyNews in Hwediem. “If you declare your intentions to run for flagbearer, you must also declare your choice of vice-presidential candidate. When he or she is the people’s choice, then you can proceed to contest,” he opined.

Reflecting on the 2024 election, the former aspirant noted that internal dissatisfaction with the choice of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) as running mate to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia contributed to the NPP’s defeat.

“More than 36% of members of the NPP never liked the choice of Matthew Opoku Prempeh as a partner to Dr. Bawumia, which caused internal misunderstanding in the run-up to the 2024 polls,” he said.

He also cited the negative public reaction to some of Napo’s utterances during the campaign, which he believes tainted the party’s image. “Some political commentators and a section of Ghanaians complained severally on the negative utterances of ‘Napo’ during the 2024 electioneering campaign, which they think caused the party’s humiliating defeat,” he added.

Mr Nyantakyi, who is also vying for the position of Ahafo Regional Organiser of the NPP, called for unity in the party, particularly urging calm among supporters of Kennedy Agyapong and Kwame Baffoe Abronye. “We can’t mend our torn nets with disunity,” he cautioned.

He emphasised his grassroots leadership style, pledging to strengthen the party’s structure from the polling station level upwards if given the nod.

“As a leader, I understand the aspirations and challenges of my peers, positioning me to mobilise effectively and empower them,” he said. “My leadership promises to revitalise the various wings of the party in the region as a driver for future success. Joining our hands in service for the party will ensure our victory in 2028,” he reiterated.

Mr Nyantakyi also called on the party’s Council of Elders and the National Executive Council (NEC) to urgently intervene to resolve ongoing internal tensions and build unity ahead of the next general elections.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Rebecca Chissah (in kente) when she was confirmed

Correspondence from the Eastern Region

Rebecca Chissah, a dedicated and experienced politician, has been officially confirmed as the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Upper West Akim in the Eastern Region on May 6, 2025.

She secured an impressive 27 votes (71%) in favour, against 11 votes (29%) opposing her confirmation by the assembly members.

The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Regional Chairman, Dr Mark Oliver Kevor, and other regional executives were present to supervise the election process, ensuring transparency and fairness throughout.

Upon her swearing-in, Chissah expressed heartfelt gratitude to the assembly members for their support and pledged to work diligently towards the development of the district. She also extended her appreciation to the Eastern Regional Minister and other dignitaries for their guidance and encouragement.

Speaking to the media, the Eastern Regional Minister praised Chissah for her unwavering commitment and dedication to community service.

She expressed confidence in the newly appointed DCE’s leadership and her ability to drive progress in the district.

The confirmation of Rebecca Chissah is seen as a recognition of her hard work, determination, and passion for public service. Her appointment has been welcomed by the assembly members, who congratulated her and expressed optimism about the district’s future under her leadership.

The Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG) has appealed to government to intervene in bringing down the cost of production for local beverage producers.

According to the Executive Secretary, Samuel Aggrey, the high cost of production and activities of smuggling could collapse the local industry.

He told JoyBusiness at the 9^th Ghana Beverage Awards in Accra that if government does not intervene, beverage producers may be forced to relocate to other business friendly countries in the West African region.

“Thanks to the Food and Drugs Authority, (FDA) we have been able to identify some of the smuggled products. We need to deal with the issue.  It is critical for government to solve the high cost of production which is negatively impacting industries”, he said.

He cautioned that if the cost of production remains high, businesses will have no option but to move to areas with favourable business environment.

“We cannot be competitive because the cheaper inferior drinks will be thriving in our markets whiles we will be pushed out of our own business. We’re still talking to government and hoping that something is done about it soon, else many of our people will lose their jobs” he pleaded.

Mr. Aggrey called on government to implement stricter policies to prevent the influx of inferior drinks from other countries entering Ghana through unapproved routes.

9th Ghana Beverage Awards

Bel-Cola emerged winner for the product of the year.

The Ghana Beverage Award was organized by the Global Media Alliance to celebrate outstanding beverage brands that excel for the year under review.

Guinness Ghana Breweries limited won two awards — spirits and liquor brands.

Acting Chief Executive for the Ghana Tourism Authority, Maame Efua Houadjeto who was the Guest of Honour  applauded the organizers for the event and urged producers to look beyond the shores of the country in promoting their beverage brands.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

Ghana’s local currency, the cedi, has recorded marginal gains against major trading currencies, particularly the US dollar, at some forex bureaus.

In its daily update, the Central Bank noted that the cedi is trading at a buying price of GH¢13.44 and a selling price of GH¢13.45 to a dollar.

The British pound is being bought at GH¢17.96 and sold at GH¢17.98, while the euro trades at a buying price of GH¢15.24 and a selling price of GH¢15.26.

Checks by GhanaWeb Business on May 7, 2025, at 08:30 AM indicate that the cedi is trading at GH¢14.80 to the dollar, while the pound is trading at GH¢19.40 at some major forex bureaus across the country.

Additionally, the euro is trading at GH¢16.90 on the retail market.

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Business News

May – 07 – 2025 , 09:16

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GraphicOnline

Business News

May – 07 – 2025 , 09:16

The S&P Global Ghana findings in a graph

Growth accelerated sharply in Ghana’s private sector as the second quarter of the year got underway.

Both output and new orders rose much more quickly than had been the case in March, with the former increasing to the largest extent in four-and-a-half years. In turn, companies took on extra staff and looked to build inventories. Business conditions were in part supported by a further easing of inflationary pressures.

The S&P Global Ghana Purchasing Managers’ Index™ rose to 52.6 in April from 50.6 in March, signalling a solid improvement in the health of the private sector, and one that was the most pronounced since September 2021. Business conditions have now strengthened in three consecutive months.

Growth of business activity accelerated particularly sharply during April, quickening to the fastest in four-and-a-half years. Companies linked the marked expansion in output to higher new orders and improving economic conditions.

A stronger demand environment also helped lead to a third consecutive monthly increase in new orders. The rate of expansion was solid and the fastest since last November.

Growth of purchasing activity also hit a five-month high in April as companies responded to rising new orders by increasing their input buying solidly.

This helped firms in their efforts to build inventories, which rose modestly over the month. Some respondents indicated that they were looking to replenish stocks of purchases after inventories had run low, while others attempted to build reserves in anticipation of further increases in new orders in the months ahead.

Alongside growth of purchasing, companies also increased their employment levels in response to higher new orders. Workforce numbers rose for the third successive month, albeit at the slowest pace in this sequence.

Firms were again able to keep on top of workloads despite the sharper rise in new business. Backlogs of work decreased modestly, and to a larger degree than in March.

Inflationary pressures showed further signs of moderation in April. Both purchase prices and staff costs increased at a slower pace for the second month running, with rates of inflation at 14- and four-month lows respectively.

Where purchase prices rose, panellists linked this to currency weakness, although there had been an improvement in the strength of the cedi more recently. Higher employee expenses, meanwhile, were often linked to cost-of-living payments.

In line with the picture for input costs, the pace of output price inflation eased for the second month running. The latest increase was the slowest since February 2024.

Meanwhile, suppliers’ delivery times shortened further, with prompt ordering helping lead to quicker deliveries. The rate of improvement was broadly unchanged from that seen in March.

Hopes that economic conditions will continue to strengthen, and that exchange rates and prices will stabilize, supported confidence that output will rise over the coming 12 months. Sentiment eased slightly from that seen in March, but was still above the series average.

Andrew Harker, Economics Director S&P Global Market Intelligence commented “Growth in Ghana’s private sector stepped up a gear in April, suggesting some real momentum building as the second quarter of the year got underway.

The key now will be to see if this momentum can be maintained in the months ahead. A softening inflationary environment and generally optimistic outlook among firms suggest that this may well be the case.”