The UK's minister for Africa has visited Blue Skies in Ghana as part of a trip pledging support to Ghanaians and helping boost trade with the African nation.
Harriett Baldwin, who works out of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, used the trip to announce a major new jobs creation and investment initiative. The UK’s £20 million Jobs and Economic Transformation (JET) Programme will help create over 15,000 jobs for Ghanaians and is expected to facilitate over £50m of additional private-sector investment.
Given positive comments from the British government about building new trade relations with non-EU countries after Brexit, it is significant that it is hoped Ghana will become a key business partner for the UK. The UK is already Ghana's second-largest trading partner.
Baldwin, who also announced a three-day UK-Ghana Investment Summit to be held in Accra in October, visited the Blue Skies factory to see how UK investment through CDC, the UK’s Development Finance Institution, is helping create jobs and spur business in Ghana.
British firm Blue Skies works with small agricultural producers to export fruit and fruit products to the UK and elsewhere, and its factory employs over 3,500 Ghanaians and supports many other small businesses through its supply chain.
Baldwin said: 'The UK and Ghana have a longstanding friendship based on shared values, our Commonwealth ties, and strong links between our people.
'Our new Jobs and Economic Transformation programme will attract millions of pounds of private sector investment, including exciting opportunities for UK businesses, as well as creating thousands of new jobs here in Ghana.
'Under President [Nana Addo Dankwa]Akufo-Addo, the country is making remarkable strides towards a Ghana beyond aid. This is why we are building a modern partnership which will deliver prosperity and growth for both of our countries, by unlocking new opportunities for UK and Ghanaian businesses and investment.'
