The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MOTAI), Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has confirmed to Parliament that the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative, a flagship programme of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, has been cancelled.
She further disclosed that there are currently no incentives available under the now-defunct programme.
“Mr Speaker, I want to draw the House’s attention to the fact that as of now, there is no policy as 1D1F,” she stated during a parliamentary session on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
New game changer
Responding to questions on the floor of the House, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare indicated that in the absence of 1D1F, the ministry is now focusing on developing agro-processing parks under the 24-hour economy policy.
“The 24-hour economy policy is the new thing on the block and the game changer, which seeks to make Ghana very vibrant irrespective of the minute of the hour or the time of the day,” she said.
“We are doing agro-parks, which seek to be a great game changer, especially in the agro-processing zones. It is being worked on to ensure we can produce around the clock for import substitution, export, foreign exchange, and to create jobs for our teeming youth.”
She made these remarks in response to a question posed by the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who sought details on the specific incentives and investment promotion packages being deployed to attract private sector investment following the cancellation of 1D1F.
Mr Afenyo-Markin also inquired about the concrete steps being taken to de-risk private sector investment in the industrial sector, particularly in less-developed districts.
“Is the ministry exploring the establishment of new industrial parks as part of a revised investment attraction strategy?” he asked.
Investment packages and transition
The 1D1F initiative, launched in 2017 by the previous NPP administration, aimed to transform Ghana’s economy from one dependent on raw material exports to one focused on manufacturing, value addition, and export of processed goods.
In her response, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare noted that the 24-hour economy policy, which includes various investment packages, is currently under review and will be presented to Parliament upon completion.
She reiterated MOTAI’s commitment to supporting all industries in Ghana and creating an enabling environment for business growth. Under the new policy, all related incentives would be accessible to businesses.
On whether any 1D1F projects had been integrated into the new 24-hour economy framework, the minister answered in the affirmative.
She also responded to a question from Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga, who asked about transitional measures being considered, given that Parliament had approved tax incentives worth millions of dollars for companies under the 1D1F programme.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the ministry was engaging stakeholders to assess the impact of the cancellation. However, she clarified that the decision to cancel the programme was not hers.
“Since I did not cancel the policy, I would not be in a position to give reasons why remedial measures were not given before the cancellation,” she stated.
Source: Graphic Online
