President John Dramani Mahama has pledged stronger enforcement measures to combat illicit trade and parallel imports in Ghana’s beverage industry, describing the issue as a major threat to revenue, jobs, and value creation.
Speaking during a courtesy call by executives of Guinness Ghana Breweries PLC at the Jubilee House, the President said the government would work closely with the Ghana Revenue Authority to step up joint seizures, intelligence-sharing, and public crackdowns.
“This problem is not peculiar to Guinness Ghana. It undermines the entire beverage sector, and we are determined to act decisively to protect local producers and the economy,” President Mahama stated.
Guinness Ghana Under Castel Group
The meeting also marked the formal introduction of Guinness Ghana’s new Managing Director, Mr. Frédéric Feraille, following the company’s transition to majority ownership by the Castel Group, now operating in 22 African markets.
Mr. Feraille reaffirmed the company’s three-year focus on investment, local talent development, and sustainable sourcing of raw materials. Currently, more than 63 per cent of Guinness Ghana’s raw materials are locally procured, supporting over 30,000 farmers.
He praised government’s sliding-scale tax incentive for encouraging local sourcing but warned that illicit imports continue to erode gains.
Partnership for Growth
Board Chairman Dr. Felix Addo commended President Mahama’s leadership and said Guinness Ghana remains committed to its 65-year legacy of beverage production in Ghana.
The company, now integrated into Castel’s Africa-wide network, signaled its long-term ambition to safeguard jobs and expand operations in Ghana while continuing to operate as a trusted Total Beverage Business.
President Mahama welcomed these commitments, stressing that government–industry partnerships were vital to Ghana’s economic transformation agenda.
