President John Dramani Mahama has launched the CEO-Government Compact 2026, a new framework aimed at strengthening collaboration between government and the private sector to accelerate Ghana’s industrialisation, job creation and economic transformation.
Speaking at the 10th Ghana CEO Summit, President Mahama said the initiative seeks to transform relations between government and businesses from ceremonial engagements into a results-driven partnership built on accountability, trust and policy consistency.
According to him, the compact will provide a structured platform for government, business leaders, investors and development partners to work together in promoting productivity, innovation, competitiveness and long-term economic growth.
“The relationship between government and the private sector must not be reduced to speeches, conferences and ceremonial engagements. It must become a working partnership grounded in trust, policy consistency, mutual accountability and a shared national purpose,” he stated.
President Mahama noted that although Ghana is making progress toward economic stability, the country must now prioritise production and industrial expansion to create sustainable jobs and improve living standards.
“Our stability must end up paying for production. Production must create jobs, jobs must raise incomes and higher incomes must restore confidence and dignity among our people,” he said.
He stressed that economic growth must translate into tangible improvements in the lives of ordinary Ghanaians, including farmers, traders, factory owners and young entrepreneurs.
The President also identified regulatory bottlenecks as a major challenge to private sector growth and called for reforms to improve the ease of doing business.
“Business regulatory reform is central to driving productivity and must be prioritised as a national goal,” he emphasised, adding that investors and businesses should not face unnecessary bureaucratic delays and conflicting directives from state institutions.
On industrialisation, President Mahama underscored the need to strengthen value chains linking agriculture and industry, particularly in sectors such as cocoa, cashew, shea, oil palm, rice, poultry, textiles and pharmaceuticals.
He explained that government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy is intended to help businesses increase productivity through improved infrastructure, energy supply, logistics and digital systems.
“It is not simply about asking people to work at night. It is about utilising our productive capacity more efficiently,” he explained.
President Mahama further revealed that government is developing a comprehensive national e-commerce policy to help SMEs, women-led enterprises and young entrepreneurs access larger markets through digital trade platforms.
He also urged Ghanaian businesses to position themselves strongly within the African Continental Free Trade Area by improving standards, packaging, logistics and product quality.
“Made-in-Ghana should not merely be a patriotic slogan. It must become a mark of confidence in African and global markets,” he said.
President Mahama commended the Chief Executive Network Ghana for sustaining the Ghana CEO Summit over the past decade and called on the private sector to support government’s transformation agenda through investment, innovation and job creation.
“Let this summit move us from dialogue to delivery, from policy to production and from production to better lives for our people,” he added.
