Pres Mahama announces policy to attract foreign investment in Northern Ghana
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
President John Dramani Mahama has announced a major policy initiative to attract foreign investment to northern Ghana, pledging targeted incentives to investors willing to establish industries in the region.
Speaking at the launch of the Ghana Infrastructure Plan (GIP) on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, under the auspices of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), President Mahama said the move forms part of a broader effort to correct Ghana’s persistent geographic imbalance in development.
He noted that while Accra and southern Ghana continue to attract the bulk of foreign direct investment, the northern regions remain economically underdeveloped, leading to increasing migration to the south in search of jobs and opportunities.
“We must stop that geographical imbalance because every child finishing senior high school in the North, after a certain point, has no economic or employment opportunities, and everybody is headed towards Accra. Every industry is in Accra, and all foreign direct investment is coming into Accra. Incentives given to rebalance development have not been effective, and we must find a way to make them work,” the President said.
To address the disparity, President Mahama revealed plans to establish an Agro-Industrial Park in northern Ghana, designed to anchor new industries and provide direct employment for the youth. The initiative will channel foreign investors who might otherwise locate in Accra toward the northern corridor through tax breaks, land access, and infrastructure support.
“We are suggesting an Agro-Industrial Park in the Northern part of the country, where we redirect some of the foreign investors who want to invest and give them the necessary incentives. Instead of settling in Accra, they should move up to the North to create jobs so that young people can have opportunities there and not drift down to the South,” he emphasised.
The Ghana Infrastructure Plan, developed by the NDPC, outlines a 40-year strategic framework for balanced national development, prioritising infrastructure expansion, industrial growth, and regional equity.
