The visits formed part of her broader industrial engagement aimed at deepening collaboration with local manufacturers, identifying operational challenges, and outlining policy interventions to enhance business expansion, exports, and job creation.

After holding discussions with management teams at both companies, the Minister toured the factories to observe production processes, product lines, and general operational facilities.

At Wahu, co-founder and CEO, Ma Valerie Labi, highlighted significant growth in recent years, including increased production capacity, diversification of products, and ambitious plans to expand into both domestic and export markets. She revealed that the facility is capable of assembling up to 20,000 vehicles annually, operates entirely on solar energy, and is built for 24-hour production cycles.

She further stated that Wahu is heavily invested in local talent. Through a partnership with the UK’s FCDO, Ghanaian engineers are undergoing advanced battery technology training, with train-the-trainer programmes now available locally. Their long-term goal is to fully localise battery pack production in Ghana. Currently, Wahu employs 550 people and aims to become one of the country’s largest youth employers by the end of 2026.

Ms Labi also announced a new OEM partnership with Ox Delivers, which will relocate the production of electric flat-pack agricultural trucks from the UK to Ghana. Wahu’s expanded fleet now supports delivery services, okada mobility, and agricultural value chains, including soybeans, chilli peppers, and cocoa.

On policy constraints, she noted that the company faces high taxation and cannot access VAT exemptions available to traditional OEMs because the Ghana Automotive Development Policy does not cover them. Despite being local manufacturers, Wahu has had to register under the Free Zones regime to facilitate exports to Liberia, Zambia, and Togo.

The Minister commended Wahu’s innovation and resilience, stressing that industrial growth remains central to Ghana’s economic transformation agenda. She assured the company of her ministry’s readiness to work closely with the private sector to resolve operational challenges.

At Entrance Pharmaceuticals, CEO Dr Samuel Amo Tobbin and his team briefed the Minister on their extensive operations supported through the Free Zones regime. They cited challenges such as delayed payments from some countries within the sub-region, which affect cash flow despite meeting export requirements.

A major industry challenge raised was the lack of a maize starch processing plant in West Africa, even though maize starch is a key ingredient in pharmaceutical production. They appealed for government support to attract investment into maize starch processing, which would benefit the pharmaceutical, beverage, and ethanol industries.

Dr Tobbin also raised concerns about the poor access road leading to the company’s facility, despite its role as one of Ghana’s largest pharmaceutical production hubs.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare described these proposals as timely and strategic, emphasizing the need for Ghana to begin producing essential raw materials locally to promote industrialisation, strengthen competitiveness under AfCFTA, and boost value addition. She assured that her ministry will fast-track investor engagement for maize starch processing and work with regional counterparts to ensure timely payments to Ghanaian exporters.