A heated debate over the fate of Ghana’s industrial sector unfolded in Parliament on February 25, 2025, as Minority Chief Whip Frank Annoh-Dompreh accused the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) of selling off state-owned factories established by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Annoh-Dompreh, who is also the MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, argued that the NDC’s actions had led to the collapse of the country’s industrial base, questioning the rationale behind what he described as the reckless sale of national assets.
“Nkrumah built over 300 industries… At whose instance were all these factories sold like tomatoes?” he asked on the floor of Parliament.
His remarks echoed similar accusations made in March 2024 by former Speaker of Parliament Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye, who blamed the PNDC and NDC administrations for dismantling Ghana’s once-thriving manufacturing sector.
Oquaye claimed that from 1981 to 2001, over 350 state-owned enterprises collapsed due to a controversial divestiture program, citing the loss of key industries like Ghacem and the Abosso Glass Factory as examples of economic mismanagement.
The debate underscores a long-standing political divide over Ghana’s industrial past, with critics blaming successive governments for failing to sustain Nkrumah’s industrialization vision.
As the discussion gains momentum, questions remain over how Ghana can rebuild its manufacturing base and prevent further erosion of state assets.
