Political strategist and policy analyst, Dr. Razak Kojo Opoku, has challenged Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s recent campaign pledge to establish a duty-free zone in every regional capital if elected president.
According to Dr. Opoku, the proposal is misleading because Ghana already operates multiple free zones under the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) and the Free Zone Act of 1995 (Act 504). He described Dr. Bawumia’s “1 Region, 1 Duty-free Zone” initiative as “a re-packaging of an already existing policy.”
“Contrary to the impression that Ghana currently has only one duty-free zone in Tema, there are several others across the country, including the Ashanti Technology Park, Sekondi Export Processing Zone, Shama Export Processing Zone, and Tema Free Zone,” Dr. Opoku explained.
He further highlighted other special economic zones such as the Greater Kumasi Industrial City Project, Builsa Agro-Processing Park, West Park at Shama, and the Savelugu Industrial Park, stressing that the Free Zones programme was already designed to promote manufacturing and exports.
Dr. Opoku noted that the Free Zones Act provides for three categories—industrial, commercial, and service free zones—as well as duty-free shops and licensed enterprises nationwide.
“What is paramount to businesspeople is not necessarily a duty-free zone in every region but rather the effective management of the exchange rate, inflation, and interest rates,” he argued.
He advised Dr. Bawumia to seek policy validation before announcing campaign promises. “Respectfully, H.E. Dr. Bawumia should get himself a semi-permeable team of elders and researchers that would always audit and validate his campaign promises before sharing them with Ghanaians,” Dr. Opoku added.
Dr. Bawumia has yet to respond to the critique.
