Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon. Thomas Nyarko Ampem known as on buyers and growth companions to commit long-term capital to remodel Ghana’s rice sector right into a key driver of financial progress, meals safety and industrialization.
Talking on the 2026 West Africa Rice Funding Roundtable in Accra, he stated Ghana is repositioning strategic worth chains resembling agriculture, notably rice, as a central pillar of financial transformation.
The discussion board introduced collectively representatives of governments from throughout the sub-region, the personal sector, growth finance establishments, buyers and regional organizations, together with the ECOWAS Fee.
Addressing contributors on behalf of Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson, Mr. Nyarko Ampem stated Ghana is creating the proper insurance policies and macroeconomic atmosphere to draw funding into the rice worth chain.
“Ghana’s message to buyers is straightforward and clear: We’re taking coverage motion to strengthen the enabling atmosphere and create the circumstances for long-term capital to flourish,” he stated.
He identified that the federal government is specializing in decreasing import dependence whereas rising home manufacturing, agro-processing and worth addition within the rice sector.
He stated West Africa continues to spend $3 billion to $4 billion a yr on rice imports, a pattern he says is economically unsustainable.
He stated the problem just isn’t a scarcity of land, water sources or farmers, however reasonably inadequate funding to remodel rice manufacturing at scale, stressing the necessity for “transformation capital” to assist irrigation, storage, logistics, milling and agro-processing infrastructure.
Nyarko Ampem stated Ghana’s financial reset plan below President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Jane Nana Opoku-Agyemang targeted on productiveness transformation, meals safety and personal sector-led progress.
He added that authorities interventions are targeted on strengthening agricultural worth chains, bettering market coordination, supporting worth stability mechanisms and making a predictable funding atmosphere.
He additional identified that macroeconomic stability and the restoration of investor confidence will probably be key to attracting long-term funding in key sectors.
He urged subregional stakeholders to maneuver past debate and concentrate on sensible financing preparations for large-scale rice manufacturing.
“West Africa would not want extra declarations. We have to construct a pipeline of worthwhile tasks that may entice long-term financing at scale,” he stated.
He expressed optimism that the roundtable would generate strategic partnerships and funding commitments to strengthen the area’s meals methods and scale back dependence on imported rice.
