By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has called on the government to ensure a smooth transition from the One District, One Factory (1D1F) policy to the 24-hour economy initiative for businesses currently benefiting under the programme.
According to the AGI, a smooth transition is necessary to prevent disruptions to operations and growth.
Speaking at the Ghana Industrial Summit and Exhibition 2025 in Accra on September 16, 2025, President of AGI, Mr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke, admonished the government to sustain the tax exemptions granted under the previous administration’s 1D1F policy, stressing that extending them under the 24-hour economy would boost expansion and job creation.
“Incentives for industries are a necessity, such as the tax exemption regime that can trigger the expansion of businesses. And I say this with reference to some of the recent developments surrounding the 1D1F policy, of which a number of our members are still beneficiaries. We expect that for such beneficiaries, there will be a smooth transition from the 1D1F policy to more beneficial incentives under the 24-hour economy policy to prevent disruptions in our business activities,” he urged.
Mr. Ayim-Darke also raised concerns over the influx of parallel imports, warning that the practice is undermining local manufacturers.
“Local manufacturers are increasingly under pressure due to the surge in availability and the cheaper imported parallel products. This development is creating an uneven playing field, making it difficult for domestic industries to remain competitive. These products evade appropriate checks, giving them an artificial cost advantage. We urge the regulatory bodies to enforce their various mandates to correct such market failures,” AGI President reiterated.
On broader issues affecting industry, Mr. Ayim-Darke further called for balanced electricity tariff pricing to guarantee fair competitiveness and supply reliability.
