The government has called for the expansion of the Kaizen approach across Ghana’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to strengthen productivity, quality and competitiveness.
Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, made the call at the official closing of the UNIDO Kaizen Expansion Project in Accra on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
Speaking on behalf of the sector Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Mr Ahi said the four-year initiative had demonstrated the value of the Japanese continuous improvement philosophy in helping Ghanaian businesses improve their operations.
Since its launch in 2022, the project has supported more than 200 enterprises to improve productivity, product quality, operational efficiency and overall business performance.
Mr Ahi urged the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA) to build on the achievements of the project and make Kaizen a permanent service available to enterprises across the country.
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He said the completion of the project should not mark the end of the Kaizen initiative, urging beneficiary businesses to treat the philosophy as an ongoing discipline rather than a one-time training programme.
According to him, enterprises must continue to improve their processes, products and workplace practices to remain competitive.
The Minister for Labour, Jobs and Employment, Emmanuel Kwadwo Agyekum, also called for the Kaizen approach to be adopted in the public sector.
He said continuous improvement could contribute not only to enterprise productivity but also to workforce development, skills training and job creation.
Mr Agyekum stressed the need to link the approach to measurable targets, workers’ well-being and skills development that respond to industry needs.
He said MSMEs remained important to the government’s efforts to create employment.
The Ambassador of Japan to Ghana reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to Ghana’s sustainable and inclusive development, describing Kaizen as more than a management concept but a way of thinking and working.
He congratulated the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), GEA, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry and participating businesses, and expressed hope that the knowledge acquired would continue to be applied.
He also encouraged efforts to explore opportunities to expand the initiative to reach more businesses across Ghana.
