Business
Annual $400m imports of chicken is a shame – Mahama
Ghana imports nearly $400 million worth of chicken every year, President John Mahama has said.
The President said the imports ought to be a source of shame for all Ghanaians, reiterating plans to support 54 individuals to produce four million birds that would amount to 10,000 metric tons of chicken.
President Mahama stressed his government commitment to advancing livestock development to improve cattle production and small ruminants, including goats and sheep, and improving access to high-quality breeds alongside.
The President made this known when he launched the government’s Feed Ghana Programme, a flagship initiative in Techiman in the Bono East Region.
He said the livestock production component of the programme would also focus on agro production enclaves and infrastructure.
That involves the execution of irrigation systems, improved road infrastructure, provision of power supply, and establishment of warehousing facilities that would attract private investment.
The President said that the programme would further enhance the production and processing of agricultural produce.
President Mahama presented maize seeds, fertilizers, a Kia truck, and tractors to some institutions including the Ghana Prisons Service, National Service Authority to spearhead the implementation of the programme.
He called for unity and shared commitment in transforming the nation’s agriculture, as a driver of national growth and prosperity, saying the Feed Ghana Programme presented a proactive initiative rather than just a policy.
Admitting some challenges in the sector, the President said he was highly optimistic that the implementation of the programme would achieve successes, and called on farmers, agribusinesses, financial institutions, and development partners to join forces for the programme to achieve desirable outcomes.
The programme aims to implement strategic measures to increase food production, promote the adoption of modern farming techniques, improve infrastructure, and establish agro-industrial zones across Ghana.
President Mahama said key interventions within the Feed Ghana Programme include smart agriculture involving establishment of farmers’ service centres nationwide.
The centres will provide essential services such as mechanization, quality inputs, financial support, market access, primary processing and training for farmers.
President Mahama announced the creation of farm banks or land banks in designated irrigable zones to support young agri-entrepreneurs and contribute to the enhancement of national food production.
He said the second component of the programme, grains and legumes development would also focused on increasing the production of maize, rice, soya beans, and sorghum for consumption, agro-processing, and export.
The third component, which is vegetable development project or ‘Yeredua’ aimed at reducing imports from neighbouring countries by promoting the cultivation of vegetables locally.
President Mahama highlighted the importance of investing in controlled environmental farming, such as greenhouse technologies, urban and peri-urban agriculture, and promoting schools to grow their own vegetables through backyard gardening.
The fourth component of the initiative will focus on promoting institutional farming to empower households and communities to cultivate vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and garden eggs to enhance self-sufficiency.
It will also extend support to institutions such as Senior High Schools to access lands to engage in crop production and livestock farming.
The fifth component of the programme involves the revitalization of the poultry industry, known as the “Nkoko Nketenkete” project.
Source: Myjoyonline
The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to scale up support for agricultural entrepreneurs through the Adwumawura Programme.
The partnership seeks to strengthen Ghana’s agribusiness sector by combining MoFA’s technical expertise with NEIP’s entrepreneurship training initiatives.
As part of the agreement, MoFA will provide high-quality poultry feed and deliver technical and field support to programme beneficiaries. NEIP, on the other hand, will equip entrepreneurs with practical business training and essential resources, including hen coops, to help them establish and expand their poultry ventures.
At the signing ceremony, officials from both institutions emphasized that the collaboration is tailored to empower small-scale poultry farmers, especially “nkoko nketenkete” entrepreneurs, to create jobs, grow agribusinesses, and contribute to sustainable economic development.
The initiative falls under NEIP’s broader Reset Agenda, which is focused on driving innovation, supporting small enterprises, and positioning agriculture as a central pillar of Ghana’s economic transformation.
Commercial Transport Operators have issued a stern warning to government, demanding immediate action to reduce the high cost of spare parts or risk facing major disruptions in the transport sector.
In a statement dated September 9, 2025, the operators said they felt “compelled” to call on the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance, and the Parliamentary Select Committees on Trade, Industry, and Transport to swiftly intervene.
They recalled that in March 2025, during engagements with spare parts dealers and government officials, a promise was made to bring down spare parts prices, but nothing had been done since.
“Unfortunately, this promise has not been fulfilled, and the prices remain exorbitant,” the operators lamented.
The statement further warned: “If immediate action is not taken, we fear that the situation will escalate, and we may be forced to take drastic measures that could disrupt transportation services. We cannot continue to operate under these unsustainable conditions.”
They urged the relevant ministries and parliamentary committees to ensure that spare parts dealers adhere to their commitments, stressing that the survival of the transport industry—and by extension, the economy—depends on swift action.
“Failure to address this pressing issue will have severe consequences for our industry and the economy as a whole,” the statement concluded.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Mr. Sammy Gyamfi, has announced sweeping reforms and strategic initiatives to position Ghana’s mining sector as a globally competitive and sustainable industry.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the Mining and Minerals Convention at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, Mr. Gyamfi said the GoldBod was driving a paradigm shift from raw mineral extraction to value retention, with the goal of maximising national benefit from Ghana’s mineral wealth.
Between January and August 2025, small-scale gold exports facilitated by GoldBod reached a record 66.7 tonnes valued at $6 billion, surpassing the entire 2024 figure of 63 tonnes worth $4.6 billion. For the first time, small-scale gold exports outperformed large-scale mining exports over the same period.
Key reforms announced include:
Aggressive licensing reforms to promote responsible sourcing.
Scrapping of the 1.5% withholding tax on unprocessed small-scale gold.
Introduction of a nationwide traceability system to ensure transparency and compliance.
Partnerships requiring large-scale miners to supply 20% of their output to the Bank of Ghana for reserve accumulation.
To combat illegal mining, the GoldBod has pledged ₵5 million and five Toyota Hilux pickups to enforcement agencies, alongside a program to reclaim 1,000 hectares of degraded forest reserves beginning November 2025.
On value addition, Mr. Gyamfi announced plans for a state-owned gold refinery and an ISO-certified Assay Laboratory at Kotoka International Airport. Discussions are also underway to establish a “Gold Village” as a continental hub for jewellery production.
Calling for stronger investment, he urged local banks, pension funds, and financiers to channel resources into mining, stressing Africa’s need to transition from raw exports to beneficiation, from middlemen to tech-driven trade, and from youth as labourers to youth as innovators and owners.
“Ghana is resetting and Africa is rising. The GoldBod is ready. All we need now is courage and capital. Let us fund the minerals and mining sector differently. Let us transform it together,” Mr. Gyamfi concluded.
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