Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama has issued an ultimatum to foreign companies operating in the country: they must build local processing plants for raw materials or leave the market. The measure aims to boost local processing and end the export of unprocessed products, including cashew nuts, shea, and rubber.

At the first edition of the Ghana Tree Crops Investment Summit and Exhibition, President Mahama stated that the government’s goal is to achieve 50 to 60 percent local processing per year, in order to create more value on Ghanaian soil and increase the incomes of local producers.

“Our priority is clear: Ghana must no longer export its raw resources without creating jobs and wealth locally,” the president said. He emphasized that this initiative is part of a broader economic development plan to strengthen local industrialization and enhance the country’s competitiveness in international markets.

President Mahama also noted that existing foreign companies will have the opportunity to comply and participate in the national strategy, but that authorities will strictly enforce this directive.

The decision has been welcomed by many local economic actors and investors, who see it as an opportunity to stimulate the industrial sector and sustainably improve the value chain of tree crops in Ghana.