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The Western Regional House of Chiefs has unanimously called on the government to initiate action to ensure the immediate ban of raw rubber exports to protect the industry.
Members of the house say that, aside from voicing their displeasure openly, they will petition the President and Parliament to ensure that the proper steps are taken to protect jobs and investors' interests.
The President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC), Nana Kobina Nketiah V, who expressed displeasure at the export of the country's raw material, thereby creating jobs in other countries, described the ongoing development as unacceptable and said it must be stopped immediately.
Speaking at a general meeting of the House in Sekondi last Monday, he said the chiefs were definite in their demand for an outright ban, not a partial limitation on the export of natural rubber in its raw form.
A section of the chiefs
The restriction policy announced by the government, he said, was good, but the restriction only undermined the domestic industry, contradicting the government’s direction: “What we need is a complete ban on the export of raw rubber.”
“Let me caution that the government’s proposal to restrict such exports merely would weaken domestic industries and undermine Ghana’s broader industrialisation agenda – which is needed currently to propel growth, create jobs and for the benefit of the state.
The current export of raw rubber, particularly from the Western Region, he said, remained the country’s major rubber-producing enclave but runs counter to the government’s policy objectives aimed at value addition, job creation and local content development.
“It was explicitly stated in the 2026 budget statement about the restriction on the export of raw rubber. We are not asking for a restriction. We are asking for a total ban on the export of raw rubber.”
He explained that a ban would support domestic processing, feed local rubber-based industries and align fully with the government’s own industrial transformation programmes, including initiatives under the 24-Hour Economy policy framework.
“It is on record that in the Western Region we have local processors such as the Ghana Rubber Estate Limited (GREL), Narubiz, Yaeric Rubber Processing, CCLE Rubber Processing Ltd and Golden Latex Rubber Products Ltd – these companies have enough processing capacity to consume raw rubber produced locally.
“However, we look on for these companies to be starved of raw materials to process as a result of the export of raw materials, which led to the companies cutting their staff in half and reducing their three-shift system to just one,” he said.
A local processor in the Central Region, he said, had come to a halt due to a shortage of raw materials to process, stating, “Recently, the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade and Industry, on a tour of local processors in the region, threw its weight behind the government's decision to restrict raw rubber export in 2026.”
The paramount chiefs warned that exporting raw rubber not only deprived the country of value-added revenue but also directly contradicts the government’s declared policy direction, while leaving domestic processors starved of critical raw materials.
“Exporting raw rubber directly contradicts the government’s stated policy direction and undermines the domestic industry,” Nana Kobina Nketsiah emphasised.
“If we are serious about industrialisation, then we must process our rubber here instead of exporting it in its raw state.”
Nana Nketiah said the time had come for stricter enforcement of existing laws and regulations governing the export of raw materials, stressing that the challenge lies not in the absence of policy, but in weak implementation.
“There are laws against exporting products in their raw form.
We must back the government and also sit down with them to ensure that the regulatory framework works,” he noted.
“This is not only to the benefit of the producing areas, but to the benefit of the whole country.”
The Paramount Chief of the Axim Traditional Area, Awulae Attibrukusu III, in a contribution, welcomed the government’s decision to begin restricting raw rubber exports but stressed that the region must present a united front to advocate a complete prohibition.
“We are glad that the government has indicated its intention to restrict the exportation of raw rubber,” he said.
“However, as a region, we must come together and meet the relevant authorities to state our resolve to have a total ban clearly.”
He proposed a collective petition by traditional leaders, opinion leaders and other stakeholders in the Western Region to formally communicate their position to the government and Parliament.
The Western Region remains Ghana’s leading producer of natural rubber, with several large plantations and smallholder farmers depending on the sector for their livelihood.
Chiefs in the region argue that a total ban on raw rubber exports will not only stimulate local processing but also create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, enhance government revenue and ensure sustainable industrial growth.
Present at the meeting included the Obrempong Hima Dekyi,Paramount Chief, Upper Dixcove Nana Kwes Agyemang, the Paramount Chief, Lower Dixcove; Awulae Amihere Kpanyile III, the Paramount Chief, Eastern Nzema; Tetretteh Okuamoah Sekyim, the Paramount Chief, Wassa Akropong and Osagyefo Kwaw Entsie, the Paramount Chief, Mpohor.
