ISSER, World Bank, and ACET host high-Level seminar on trade, growth, and jobs in Ghana

Regional Director of the World Bank Group, Seynabou Sakho delivers her remarks, seated alongside Prof. Robert Darko Osei and the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry.

The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), together with the World Bank Group and the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET), convened a high-level seminar on “Rethinking Trade for Growth and Jobs in Ghana” to explore how Ghana can better harness trade to drive industrialisation, diversify exports, and create sustainable jobs. Organised under the Transformation Dialogues Webinar Series -- a joint initiative by ACET, the World Bank, and ISSER -- the seminar advanced discussions on the policy actions and structural reforms needed to strengthen Ghana’s competitiveness for trade-led economic transformation.

Seynabou Sakho, Regional Director of the World Bank Group, delivered the welcome remarks, underscoring the potential of trade to drive growth and employment. She emphasised the importance of improving logistics systems, strengthening quality certification ecosystems, and addressing sector-specific constraints to unlock Ghana’s competitiveness.

Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry. Hon. Ofosu-Adjare called for a bold rethinking of Ghana's trade strategy, stressing that while Ghana recorded significant macroeconomic gains in 2025 -- including a historic trade surplus and record international reserves -- true prosperity will come only through industrialisation, value addition, and export diversification. She commended the organisers for convening timely and strategic conversations around trade and industrialisation.

A presentation by Rami Galal, Senior Economist at the World Bank Group, set the stage for a panel discussion moderated by Leonardo Iacovone, Practice Manager at the World Bank Group. The discussion featured Prof. Robert Darko Osei, Director of ISSER; David Gowu, Chief Executive Officer of the Business Outsourcing Services Association Ghana (BOSA Ghana); Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy at the Office of the President; and Francis Kojo Kwarteng Arthur, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA).

Prof. Osei highlighted the strong relationship between trade, growth, and poverty reduction, noting that countries which trade more intensively tend to have lower poverty levels and generate more jobs. He outlined key structural barriers holding Ghana back, including high tax rates, limnited access to credit, infrastructure and logistics gaps, non-tariff barriers, and unreliable energy supply. He called for sustained investment in research and evidence-based policy as the foundation for competitive, inclusive, trade-led growth.

The other panelists enriched the discussion with perspectives from business outsourcing, presidential economic advisory, and export promotion, highlighting practical opportunities and challenges in advancing Ghana’s trade agenda. This was followed by a lively Q&A session, where participants engaged the panelists and deepened insights into Ghana’s trade competitiveness.

The Transformation Dialogues Webinar Series by ACET, the World Bank, and ISSER was launched in February 2026 to stimulate public discussion on trade policy and economic development in Africa, with a particular focus on Ghana. The “Rethinking Trade for Growth and Jobs in Ghana” seminar was held on Thursday, 7 May 2026 at the World Bank Office in Accra, bringing together policymakers, researchers, development partners, and private sector leaders.