President John Dramani Mahama has cut the sod for the Tema Integrated Industrial Park (TIIP) in the Tema Industrial Area, to transform the Tema Heavy Industrial Area into a strategic manufacturing and processing enclave.
The TIIP is a joint venture involving the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), TDC Ghana Ltd, and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms.
The project aimed at transforming the Tema Heavy Industrial Area into a strategic manufacturing and processing enclave.
It forms part of President John Dramani Mahama’s broader agenda to accelerate industrialisation, create jobs, and promote local value addition.
The facility is expected to occupy between 100 and 120 hectares of land near the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) smelter.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony, President Mahama said the project marked the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s economic transformation.
“Today is far more than the start of another infrastructure project. It marks the beginning of a new chapter in Ghana’s economic transformation and a bold affirmation of our determination to build an economy that produces more, exports more, creates more jobs, and delivers shared prosperity for all our people,” he stated.
He explained that the project represented the practical implementation of his government’s vision of transforming Ghana from a predominantly raw material-exporting economy into a competitive industrial nation capable of manufacturing high-quality products for markets across Africa and beyond.
According to him, the Tema Integrated Industrial Park is one of the flagship projects through which that vision will be realised.
“This is not simply an investment in land, factories, and infrastructure. It is an investment in Ghanaian enterprise, Ghanaian ingenuity and Ghana’s future,” the President said.
President Mahama noted that establishing the project in Tema was significant because the city was conceived by Kwame Nkrumah as the country’s industrial heartbeat, with the port, motorway, industrial enclave, and VALCO all designed to support a thriving industrial economy.
He observed, however, that while the vision had achieved significant progress, much of its promise remained unrealised as Ghana continued exporting raw materials while importing finished products.
“The model cannot sustain the aspirations of a modern and prosperous Ghana,” he said, stressing that the country must increasingly process its own resources, manufacture its own products, and retain greater value within its economy.
President Mahama described industrialisation as an economic necessity rather than a choice, noting that successful economies had developed robust manufacturing sectors, industrial clusters, and integrated value chains.
He said the government’s strategy extended beyond establishing factories to creating complete industrial ecosystems supported by infrastructure, logistics, energy, finance, technology, and skills development.
“Our objective is to make Ghana the most competitive location in West Africa for industrial production and export-oriented manufacturing,” he said.
The President added that industrial parks such as TIIP would operate under the government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy, supported by integrated logistics, warehousing, customs facilitation, and transport systems to enhance Ghana’s export competitiveness.
He said the project would stimulate investments in supporting industries, promote technology transfer, strengthen local supply chains, and create thousands of employment opportunities for Ghanaian youth.
When completed, President Mahama said the industrial park would generate thousands of direct and indirect jobs, attract significant private investment, expand Ghana’s export base, and reinforce the country’s position as an industrial gateway under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
He further pledged continued government investment in technical education, vocational training, and digital skills development to prepare young people for opportunities within the emerging industrial sector.
President Mahama also commended the project’s partners and public institutions for their collaborative efforts in completing the necessary legal, regulatory, and environmental processes to bring the project to fruition.
The Managing Director of TDC Ghana Ltd, Courage Makafui Nunekpeku, described the sod-cutting ceremony as the beginning of a transformative partnership between TDC Ghana Limited, GIADEC, and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms.
He said the project aligned with Ghana’s industrialisation agenda by promoting value addition, investment, job creation, and sustainable economic growth.
Mr. Nunekpeku praised President Mahama’s commitment to industrial transformation, stating that the initiative would place Ghana firmly on the path towards becoming an industrial hub in Africa.
According to him, TIIP is more than a development project, describing it as the strategic foundation for a larger industrial park spanning approximately 11,000 acres.
He disclosed that negotiations to acquire the additional land were far advanced and expressed confidence that the initial industrial park would become operational within two years, serving as a major source of employment and economic growth.
The ceremony was attended by Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, senior government officials, representatives of Afreximbank, development partners, and industry stakeholders.
