News Guide Africa

Tag: Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang

  • Opoku-Agyemang muffles 2028 succession buzz to safeguard gov’t agenda

    Opoku-Agyemang muffles 2028 succession buzz to safeguard gov’t agenda

    Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has taken a firm stand against early campaign rhetoric, shutting down ongoing internal debates regarding who will lead the National Democratic Congress (NDC) into the 2028 general elections.

    The Vice President’s intervention comes amid mounting political chatter within party ranks, where analysts and insiders have begun floating potential candidates to succeed President John Dramani Mahama at the end of his term.

    Addressing the media and party members, Opoku-Agyemang made it clear that her primary obligation is assisting the President in restoring economic stability and executing critical policy reforms, rather than entertaining premature political jockeying.

    “Let’s focus on the job at hand,” Opoku-Agyemang declared, urging party loyalists and state officials to channel their energies toward governance. “The Ghanaian public did not elect us to run continuous campaign cycles. They entrusted us with a mandate to fix the economy, strengthen our institutions, and improve lives. That is where 100 percent of our attention must remain.”

     

    The Vice President’s decisive statement serves as an early attempt to curb internal factionalism that often arises when succession debates surface midway through an administration’s tenure.

    Political strategists have lauded the move as a crucial step to prevent policy distractions within key ministries.

    “When senior officials start focusing on the next election cycle, governance inevitably suffers,” noted Kwame Ansah, a political risk consultant based in Accra. “By publicly shutting down 2028 ticket speculation, the Vice President is signaling to both the cabinet and party cadres that performance and delivery are the only metrics that matter right now.”

    Party leaders have echoed these sentiments, reassuring the public that the party remains united behind its current governing mandate.

    “There will be an appropriate time and an established democratic process for selecting our next flagbearer when the party constitution allows it,” an NDC national executive member stated. “Right now, the Vice President is leading by example. Every appointee and party worker must align with her call to deliver results for the country.”

    With major economic and structural policy decisions ahead, Opoku-Agyemang’s directive sets a clear boundary, signaling that political ambitions must take a back seat to public service.

     

  • ECOWAS, partners launch ambitious roadmap for West African rice self-sufficiency by 2035

    ECOWAS, partners launch ambitious roadmap for West African rice self-sufficiency by 2035

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

    In a decisive bid to secure food sovereignty and drive economic transformation across West Africa, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and its international partners have convened a high-level regional roundtable in Accra.

    The two-day event, which opened on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, focuses on the theme: “Mobilising resources to achieve rice self-sufficiency in West Africa.” It brings together regional leaders, policymakers, and financial institutions to secure the public, private, and blended financing required to eliminate the region’s dependence on rice imports by the year 2035.

    Delivering the official opening address on behalf of Ghanaian President H.E. John Dramani Mahama, the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, framed the initiative as a matter of continental pride and survival.

    “Beyond the issue of rice, this meeting raises fundamental questions regarding economic transformation, regional integration, and Africa’s ability for self-sufficiency with dignity,” Vice-President Opoku-Agyemang stated.

    The roundtable, organized by the ECOWAS Commission’s Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, is heavily backed by global financial heavyweights, including the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB). The primary objective is to accelerate national and regional investment action plans for the rice value chain.

    Strengthening food sovereignty

    Rice has become a critical staple across West Africa, but production has historically lagged behind rapidly growing demand, draining vital foreign exchange reserves. ECOWAS leadership is determined to change this narrative.

    In his address to the delegates, H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, emphasized that the 2035 target is part of a broader vision for the sub-region.

    “ECOWAS’ ambition is to establish competitive, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems that strengthen food sovereignty, create jobs, and promote shared prosperity, whilst achieving regional self-sufficiency in rice by 2035,” Dr. Touray noted, describing the roundtable as a “decisive moment” and a vital catalyst for action.

    High-level alignment

    The opening ceremony featured a robust lineup of regional and international stakeholders who pledged their institutional alignment with the 2035 roadmap. Key highlights included:

    ● Regional Vision: Dr. Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture, presented a comprehensive strategy titled ‘Vision for Rice Self-Sufficiency in West Africa by 2035.’

    ● Host Nation Commitment: Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, H.E. Eric Opoku, and Deputy Minister of Finance, H.E. Thomas Nyarko Ampem, detailed national alignment strategies and the importance of fiscal frameworks to support agricultural scaling.

    ● Global Financial Backing: Mr. Guangzhe Chen, Vice-President for the Global Environment at the World Bank, and Mr. Richard Ofori-Mante, Director of Agricultural Finance and Rural Development at the AfDB, reaffirmed their institutions’ commitments to deploying blended finance mechanisms to derisk private investments in the sector.

    The roundtable concludes today, June 3, 2026, with expectations high for a finalized investment framework that will mobilize billions of dollars over the next decade to transform West African rice fields into the breadbasket of the region.

     

     

     

     

  • Ghana’s SMEs remain competitive despite challenges – Vice President

    Ghana’s SMEs remain competitive despite challenges – Vice President

    Vice President Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has praised Ghana’s Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for their resilience and competitiveness, even in challenging economic conditions within the sector.

    She emphasised that Ghana’s SMEs continue to adapt, innovate, and maintain their competitiveness, underscoring their importance in national economic growth and job creation.

    “In Ghana, our SMEs continue to demonstrate resilience and competitiveness even under challenging conditions,” she said when delivering an address during last week’s 2026 Africa Prosperity Dialogues in Accra while speaking on the state of SMEs in Africa.

    The Vice President noted that these businesses play a crucial role in driving employment and contributing to the continent’s GDP.

    “Within this market (the Africa Free Trade Continental Area), SMEs are central. Africans SMEs are often cited as generating over 80% of employment and a significant share of GDP,” she said.

    The Vice President called for continued support and policies that strengthen the SME sector to ensure sustainable development and inclusive economic progress.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Gov’t sets up 12-member presidential advisory group to guide economic policy

    Gov’t sets up 12-member presidential advisory group to guide economic policy

    The government has inaugurated a 12-member Presidential Advisory Group on the Economy, composed of experienced professionals from academia, public service, and the private sector, to provide strategic guidance on Ghana’s economic policies.

    Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is among the members, alongside respected economist and private sector leader Mr Kwame Pianim, and industrialist Sir Samuel Esson Jonah.

    Other notable members include Mr Ishmael Yamson, Ms Nana Oye Mansa Yeboaa, Dr Kwabena Duffuor, and Mr Ato Brown, bringing extensive expertise in finance, trade, infrastructure, and agribusiness.

    The group also comprises former Bank of Ghana Governor Dr Henry A. Kofi Wampah, private sector leader Togbe Afede XIV, Ghana Stock Exchange CEO Ms Abena Amoah, and academics Prof. Priscilla Twumasi Baffour and Prof. Patience Aseweh Abor.

    Their combined experience spans economic policy, fiscal management, industrial development, and research.

    The advisory body will provide non-partisan guidance directly to the President on macroeconomic management, fiscal consolidation, debt sustainability, industrial development, and export-led growth. It will also advise on sectoral development, private sector expansion, investment mobilisation, job creation, and major productivity-enhancing reforms.

    In addition, the group will conduct periodic assessments of Ghana’s economic performance, offer policy recommendations, and contribute expert input to engagements with bilateral and multilateral development partners, international financial institutions, and investors, ensuring evidence-based decision-making and strategic economic governance.