President John Dramani Mahama has boldly declared that Ghana will, by 2030, stop exporting natural resources in their raw state.
Making the declaration to loud applause at the Accra Reset: The Ethiopia Reckoning, on the sidelines of the AU summit, President Mahama argued that the only sustainable path to Africa’s development is for countries to process and add value to minerals before export.
“I say by 2030, there are not going to be any raw mineral ore leaving Ghana. You must process all that in Ghana,” he stated.
The President said he is confident that Ghana and Africa stands to gain significantly if mineral exports are linked to local refining, processing, and manufacturing, rather than exporting ore and importing finished products at higher costs.
He stressed that value addition is essential to creating decent jobs, boosting industrial growth, and strengthening national revenues.
“It’s the only way we can provide opportunities for our young people. Our young people are not as patient as our generation,” he added.
The Accra Reset Initiative is a pan-African platform launched in Accra in 2025 to drive a new agenda for health and economic transformation on the continent, with a focus on trade, industrialisation, governance reforms, youth employment, and African-led financing solutions.
The Accra Reset forum in Ethiopia brought together key stakeholders, including policymakers, development experts, private sector leaders and former African thought leaders, to deepen discussions and push implementation of commitments made under the initiative, including those introduced earlier at global platforms such as Davos.
President Mahama urged African leaders and stakeholders to act with urgency, stressing that the outcomes of the Accra Reset must translate into tangible opportunities for young people across the continent.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Fred Duhoe
