The CEO of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Mark Badu Aboagye, has voiced strong opinions on the persistent unemployment crisis in Ghana, asserting that the problem could have been significantly mitigated had the One District One Factory (1D1F) policy been effectively executed.

Speaking on Joy News, Aboagye emphasised that while Ghana has a wealth of well-designed economic and industrial policies, the country’s progress is often hampered by weaknesses in implementation.

According to him, the country’s policy framework is far from the issue; rather, the challenge lies in translating these policies into tangible outcomes that create employment opportunities and stimulate economic growth.

He explained that numerous initiatives, including the widely publicised 1D1F program and the 24-Hour Economy initiative, have the potential to transform Ghana’s industrial landscape and significantly reduce unemployment, but such efforts cannot succeed without meaningful collaboration with the private sector.

“Interesting listening to the two politicians from the two sides. Well-documented policies, well-articulated policies, but implementation has always been the challenge. The things that he said about the 24-Hour economy and 1D1F all need a private sector to implement them,” he said.

The One District One Factory initiative was introduced by the government to industrialise the country, creating jobs, and stimulating local economies by establishing at least one factory in each of Ghana’s administrative districts.

While the concept was widely lauded by economists and business leaders alike, its implementation has been uneven, with many districts yet to see operational factories despite the program being launched several years ago.

Aboagye highlighted that successful industrialisation and the attendant employment generation require active engagement between government policymakers and the private sector, which possesses the capital, expertise, and operational capacity to bring such projects to life.

He disclosed that such engagement has already begun, but stressed that these discussions are ongoing and must translate into concrete action.

“Obviously, there’s always an engagement for us to understand what it is, for us to understand the role that we will play, and all those things. Last Friday, we were actually supposed to meet Gossie Tannoh, but I think he travelled. So okay, so we have had that engagement with them,” he noted.

However, Aboagye cautioned that dialogue alone is insufficient; the crux of the problem remains the practical execution of policies. Without robust implementation strategies, even the most well-conceived initiatives are likely to fall short of their intended impact.

“But when it comes to policies, as I said, it is implementation, the 1D1F. It’s been said that it was a very brilliant policy. If governments had even implemented just 50% of it, all these employment issues would have been solved,” he stated.

The 1D1F initiative, in particular, was conceived as a vehicle for industrial growth that could stimulate job creation in otherwise underserved districts, yet the limited progress has prevented it from fully achieving these goals.

The unemployment challenge in Ghana is complex, encompassing both urban and rural areas, and affects a broad range of demographics, from university graduates to skilled and semi-skilled workers.

According to recent labour statistics, the country continues to experience a significant gap between the supply of labour and the availability of jobs, especially in sectors that have the capacity to absorb large numbers of workers. Programs like 1D1F are intended to bridge this gap by fostering industrial hubs capable of employing local populations and stimulating ancillary economic activities.

1D1F unemployment GNCCI — Mark Badu Aboagye, CEO of Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Aboagye emphasised that the government cannot tackle the unemployment crisis in isolation.

He argued that the private sector must play a leading role in generating employment opportunities, leveraging its resources, innovation, and operational capabilities.

This partnership approach is critical because private businesses are more agile and capable of scaling operations quickly, which is essential for absorbing the labour force into productive employment.

He further noted that while engagement sessions between the GNCCI and government officials are promising, the outcomes of these discussions must translate into actionable steps. Policies without concrete execution plans, adequate funding, and operational oversight are unlikely to produce the intended results, no matter how well-intentioned.

“The things that he said about the 24-Hour economy and 1D1F all need a private sector to implement them,” Aboagye reiterated, highlighting that government policies can provide the framework, incentives, and regulatory environment, but it is the private sector that must operationalise these ideas on the ground.

In conclusion, Aboagye’s insights serve as both a critique and a roadmap. While the government has introduced innovative policies like the 1D1F program, their potential remains largely untapped due to implementation gaps.

With robust engagement and action-oriented partnerships between the public and private sectors, Ghana could see significant reductions in unemployment and enhanced economic growth.

1D1F cancelled

In July 2025, the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, officially declared the cancellation of the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) Programme, a flagship industrialisation initiative launched under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

Addressing Parliament, the Minister stated plainly, “Mr Speaker, I want to draw the House’s attention to the fact that as of now, there is no policy as 1D1F.”

The programme, once championed by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as a cornerstone of Ghana’s industrial transformation, has now been shelved.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare explained that the government’s current focus had shifted towards the development of agro-processing parks under the new 24-hour economy policy, which seeks to energise Ghana’s economic productivity across all hours of the day and night.

“We are doing agro-parks, which seek to be a great game changer, especially in the agro-processing zones,” she said. “The goal is to produce around the clock for import substitution, export, foreign exchange, and to create jobs for our teeming youth.”