The president, Mr. John Agyekum Kufuor, Has launched the 'Presidential Special Initiative' (PSI) that will ginger public-private sector partnership and create some 100,000 jobs within the next four years.

The initiative, which is two-fold, will lead to a realization of the president's vision to create a ‘Golden Age of Business'. The initiative is Ghana's response to the United States’ African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and would ensure that Ghana takes full advantage of the Act.

The president John Agyekum Kufour said,"The battle to eradicate poverty is a joint effort, the battle to bring back the smiles to the faces of our people has begun." President Agyekum Kufour
President Kufuor has constituted an Inter-Ministerial Facilitation Team made up of ministers of state to coordinate activities and to ensure the success of the PSI.

To realise the set goals under the PSI a round table on exports comprising key service providers has been established.

Under PSI the focus will be on the development and export of starch from cassava, garments and textiles to the US market. The processing and export of starch, which would be entirely driven by farmers in the rural communities. As part of the programme 25,000 farmers from 10 districts would be engaged in the production and processing of cassava into starch.

Besides, the garments and textiles sector would create 70,000 jobs and is likely to generate export revenue of $3.4 million in four years.

The PSI second production platform, would involve building capacity of about 100 Ghanaian enterprises to establish and operate medium-scale manufacturing plants for garments.

The president is hopeful that about 20 Ghanaian entrepreneurs would become merchant garment exporters and work with about 50 small-scale tailors and seamstresses in due course.

GIPC : Ghana Investment Promotion Centre

 Objectives and functions :

The Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) is a government agency, re-established under the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act, 1994 (Act 478): 

1.  To encourage, promote and facilitate investments in all sectors of the economy except except mining and petroleum

2.  To co-ordinate and monitor all investment activities falling under Act 478 and assist both domestic and foreign investors in:

• Initiating and supporting measures that will, enhance the investment climate in the country for both Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian companies.

• Promoting investments in and outside Ghana through effective promotion.

• Collecting, collating, analysing and disseminating information about investmen opportunities and sources of investment capital, and advising on the availability, choice or suitability of partners in joint-venture projects;
  
  
• Registering and keeping records of all enterprises to which this Act is applicable.
  
  
• Identifying specific projects and inviting interested investors for participation in those projects initiating, organizing and participating in promotional activities such as exhibitions, conferences and seminars for the stimulation of investments.
  
  
• Maintaining a liaison between investors and ministries, government departments and agencies, institutional lenders and other authorities concerned with investments.
  
  
• Providing and disseminating up-to-date information on incentives available to investors.
  
  
• Assisting investors by providing support services including assistance with permitsrequired for the establishment and operation of enterprises
  
  
• Evaluating the impact of the Centre on investments in the country and recommending appropriate changes where necessary.
  
  
• Registering and keeping records of all technology-transfer agreements relating toinvestments under this Act
  
  
• Performing such other functions as are incidental to the attainment of the objectives of this Act.

Organisational Structure

GIPC is administered by an eight-member board of directors, the majority of whom are from the private sector. The management team, comprising the Chief Executive and four Divisional Directors, is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Centre.
GIPC functions through four operational divisions:

Source: The Parliament of Ghana