The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, has announced government plans to partner with the private sector in establishing three large-scale garment factories, targeting the creation of 27,000 jobs over time.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, Ofosu-Agyare highlighted the garment sector’s potential to rapidly absorb a large workforce without requiring formal qualifications or lengthy training.
“The government is going to support the private sector to establish three big garment factories,” she stated. “And we seek to employ, in the long run, 27,000 people in these garment factories.”
The minister emphasized the industry’s low entry barriers, noting that workers can begin earning after just four weeks of on-the-job training. Unlike sectors demanding extended education, garment production leverages division of labor and specialization, breaking tasks into simple roles such as color matching.
“Garment factory is one industry that employs a lot of people,” Ofosu-Agyare said. “The beauty is that you don’t have to learn for three or five months before you can start work. It is that industry that trains you for four weeks, and you already have a job.”
She added that the sector is inclusive, welcoming individuals from all educational backgrounds, including those without certificates or formal schooling.
“It employs all categories who have not even gone to school at all,” the minister explained. “And so this is one where jobs can be created whether you have a certificate or you don’t have a certificate.”
Ofosu-Agyare positioned the initiative as a key strategy to combat youth unemployment and expand opportunities nationwide, underscoring its role in Ghana’s broader job creation efforts.