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The Government of Ghana has formally cancelled the ambitious One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) programme, replacing it with a new agro-industrial strategy focused on round-the-clock productivity under the 24-hour economy policy.
The announcement was made in Parliament by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, who stated unequivocally:
“Mr Speaker, I want to draw the House’s attention to the fact that as of now, there is no policy as 1D1F.”
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This marks the official end of a flagship industrialisation initiative launched in 2017 by the former New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, which sought to decentralise industrial growth by establishing at least one factory in each of Ghana’s 261 districts.
Explaining the policy shift, the minister said the current government is now pursuing agro-processing parks under the 24-hour economy model.
“We are doing agro-parks, which seek to be a great game changer, especially in the agro-processing zones,” she noted, emphasising their role in import substitution, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings.
These industrial enclaves will be equipped with modern infrastructure to support continuous, value-added processing of agricultural produce. The goal is to create high-efficiency, export-ready operations that run day and night — a departure from the standalone district factory model.
The cancellation came in response to an urgent question by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin (Effutu), who demanded clarity on incentives and transition plans for investors affected by the policy shift.
Mrs Ofosu-Adjare admitted that the investment packages for the new 24-hour economy framework are still being finalised and promised to present details to Parliament “in due course”.
When pressed on whether any mechanisms had been set up to cushion stakeholders previously involved in the 1D1F initiative, the minister replied:
“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.”
Under the 1D1F programme, over 300 factories were reported to be at various stages of implementation by the end of the NPP’s second term.
At least 150 were operational, spanning agro-processing, textiles, recycling, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, and even vehicle assembly.
Some standout examples include:
- Ekumfi Fruits & Juices Ltd (Central Region): Processes ~10 tonnes of fruit per hour; employs ~5,000 people.
- Twyford Ceramics Ltd (Western): US$77 million investment; produces 14.4 million m² of tiles per year.
- Walewale Melon Factory (North East): Specialises in watermelon juice.
- Pwalugu Tomato Factory (Upper East): Produces tomato paste and puree.
- Spring & Bolt Company Ltd (Ashanti): Metal fabrication.
- Golden Africa Consumer Products Ltd (Greater Accra): Detergent manufacturing.
Many of these factories were launched through public-private partnerships, supported by government incentives such as tax breaks, subsidised utilities, and funding from a stimulus support programme.
Opposition lawmakers and stakeholders have criticised the abrupt cancellation, describing it as a partisan reversal that undermines a nationwide industrialisation effort with proven employment and investment benefits.
Some projects under the 1D1F scheme reportedly faced operational hurdles, such as limited raw material supply or poor market access, but advocates argue these challenges could have been addressed with better monitoring—not abandonment.
“It’s unfair to the investors and communities who bought into the policy in good faith,” one private investor said.
Despite the programme’s cancellation, no comprehensive audit or transition plan has been announced to account for the fate of ongoing or incomplete factories. It remains unclear whether these businesses will be absorbed into the 24-hour economy agenda or left without state support.
The minister acknowledged ongoing consultations with affected stakeholders but offered no timeline or commitments regarding integration into the new policy framework.
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