By Ernest Bako WUBONTO
The Kwahu Business Advocacy Association (KBAA) has been inaugurated in Accra. The initiative represents a shift from individual entrepreneurship to a coordinated platform aimed at strengthening the Kwahu community’s influence on industrial and trade policy.
The event brought together government officials, development planners and leading entrepreneurs who endorsed the formation of a unified business front to promote structured engagement with policy-makers and drive sustainable development. It was held under the theme ‘A Collective Voice for Enterprise: Kwahu Advocacy in Policy and Trade’.
Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said businesses scale faster and achieve greater impact when they operate within organised associations.
“The formation of this association is a significant step. When you come together, you can push for reforms, build critical relationships and, ultimately, create jobs and improve incomes,” she said.
She reiterated government’s commitment to supporting organised private sector initiatives, particularly in agribusiness and value addition. According to her, the current administration is prioritising raw material production and local processing to strengthen industrial value chains.
The minister added that the trade ministry is ready to assist export-oriented businesses to access international markets and assured members of KBAA of its support. She also highlighted the need for long-term, affordable financing to sustain enterprise growth.
Addressing structural challenges within the economy, Chairperson of the National Development Planning Commission, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, said 92 percent of businesses in the country operate in the informal sector, while less than one percent of the formal sector is under Ghanaian ownership.
He described the situation as a paradox, noting that despite the well-known entrepreneurial strength of the Kwahu people, the Eastern Region has limited manufacturing capacity. He urged the association to invest in manufacturing hubs to create jobs and deepen industrialisation in the region.
Dr. Thompson said the commission is working to address key bottlenecks, including access to industrial water, reliable power, infrastructure and logistics, as well as the formalisation of businesses to boost indigenous participation in the formal economy.
In his inaugural address, President of the Board of Trustees of KBAA, Kwabena Adjare Danquah, said the association represents a deliberate move from informal networks to structured engagement in a policy-driven and globally interconnected economy.
He outlined its priorities as evidence-based policy advocacy, stronger collaboration among members, improved access to capital and regional trade opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area, as well as promoting innovation and sustainability.
“Our objective is to promote enterprise growth, job creation and long-term prosperity through disciplined organisation and shared purpose,” he said, adding that succession planning and family business continuity would also be key focus areas.
Chairman of the occasion and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Oduro Owusu, said unity would be essential in building the influence required to drive large-scale development.
The inauguration of KBAA signals a new phase of structured business advocacy for the Kwahu community, with a focus on institutional strength, policy engagement and responsible leadership.
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