President John Dramani Mahama has emphasized the urgent need to end the exportation of Ghana’s raw materials, stating that it is time for the country to shift towards value addition.
Speaking at the 2025 National Economic Dialogue in Accra on Monday, March 3, 2025, he noted that the continued export of raw materials such as gold, cocoa, and crude oil leaves Ghana vulnerable to external shocks and global price fluctuations, which in turn affect the local economy.
To address this challenge, President Mahama stressed the need for a fundamental transformation of Ghana’s economic structure to ensure sustainable growth.
“We must undertake a fundamental transformation of our economic structure. Ghana’s economy has been heavily reliant on the export of raw materials such as gold, cocoa, and crude oil, leaving us vulnerable to global price fluctuations and external shocks. We must end this dependence,” he stated.
He further emphasized the importance of transitioning from an export-driven raw material economy to an industrialized, value-added economy.
According to him, such a shift would reduce the country’s reliance on imports, create jobs, and boost exports.
President Mahama also revealed that his government plans to expand the manufacturing and agro-processing sectors to ensure that Ghana benefits more from its natural resources.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
