UK, Ghana launch £215m Growth Partnership to create jobs, strengthen infrastructure and support skills 

The United Kingdom and Ghana have launched a new Growth Partnership to create jobs, strengthen infrastructure, expand trade, and improve access to skills and education.

The agreement was signed during President John Mahama’s official visit to the UK and builds on investment commitments worth up to £215 million secured at the Ghana Investment Summit in London.

The partnership will guide cooperation between the two countries from 2026 to 2028, with a focus on private sector-led growth, increased investment, and stronger economic ties.

It is centred on four key priorities: attracting private investment and finance, improving trade opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, supporting infrastructure and industrial development, and expanding education and skills partnerships.

One of the flagship projects under the agreement is a £101 million UK-supported initiative to develop the first commercial-scale ship repair and dry-docking facility in the Gulf of Guinea.

The Takoradi Floating Dock Project, known as ShipRite, is being backed by a consortium of investors, including the UK co-owned Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), in partnership with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).

The project is expected to create up to 430 direct jobs, with approximately 30% earmarked for women. It is also expected to position Ghana as a regional maritime hub while reducing emissions by shortening the travel distances of vessels requiring maintenance.

The partnership also includes a £5 million UK-supported Green Project Preparation Facility.

Hosted by Financial Sector Deepening Africa (FSD Africa) in partnership with the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund, the initiative is designed to help transform viable public- and private-sector concepts into climate-focused infrastructure projects.

Officials estimate it could unlock up to £180 million in investment deals over the next three years while supporting Ghana’s infrastructure agenda and creating opportunities for UK firms.

In the forestry sector, Mere Plantations has announced plans to expand plantation and reforestation activities in Ghana, including the use of biochar technology to improve sustainability.

The company will launch an £85 million reforestation investment fund listed in the UK.

Backed by the Forestry Commission, the fund is expected to attract international capital into reforestation and carbon projects, creating jobs and restoring degraded lands.

Another £9 million investment by Rainforest Builder will support forest restoration activities in the Oti Region, generating employment while advancing environmental conservation.

The agreement also places significant emphasis on technology and innovation.

A new partnership will support the implementation of Ghana’s Artificial Intelligence Strategy as part of a broader science and technology collaboration backed by £6 million in UK funding.

Ten new Physics Partnerships have also been established through collaboration with UK Research and Innovation to strengthen research links between universities in both countries.

In education, new Transnational Education guidelines have been published to facilitate partnerships between UK and Ghanaian institutions and improve access to quality higher education and training.

The healthcare sector is also expected to benefit from a £4 million, five-year partnership between a UK training provider and Ghana-based Mangel Klicks to deliver specialist clinical engineering training across Ghana and the wider region.

The partnership comes as Ghana and the UK mark five years of the UK-Ghana Trade Partnership Agreement. Bilateral trade between the two countries has now reached approximately £1.6 billion, representing a 12.5% increase since 2024.

British International Investment’s development finance portfolio in Ghana currently stands at about £140 million, including support for export-focused garment manufacturer Maa Grace through Growth Investment Partners Ghana.

British High Commissioner to Ghana, Dr Christian Rogg, said the agreement would deliver practical benefits for citizens and businesses.

“This Growth Partnership is about real change people can see and feel. It means more skilled jobs, stronger ports and transport links, better access to finance, and new opportunities for young people and women across Ghana.

“By working with Ghanaian partners and backing private investment, we are supporting growth that is sustainable, inclusive and led by Ghana’s own priorities,” he said.

The UK government said the partnership demonstrates its long-term commitment to Ghana’s economic transformation while opening new commercial opportunities across strategic sectors.

المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)