The Minister of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, said the integration of the chieftaincy sector into the ministry’s framework was intended to deepen local participation in governance.

“Chiefs are custodians of land, tradition and social stability. Bringing them meaningfully into the fold of development decision-making ensures that projects and policies enjoy legitimacy, continuity and cultural alignment,” the minister said at the 2025 Made-in-Ghana Business Summit and Awards event in Accra.

The Made-in-Ghana Business Summit and Awards, organised by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana, is an annual event that seeks to promote local production and consumption of local products

It was attended by business executives mainly in the manufacturing sector, business owners and policy makers.

The minister described the ministry as the closest arm of the state to the people, and insisted that “if we are to drive genuine regional development, we must empower and resource Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to lead the charge in identifying local economic opportunities and facilitating investment”.

He said it was the recognition of the critical role of MMDAs in driving local development that the  government had taken the strategic decision to increase the allocation of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) to the assemblies.

Mr Ibrahim said allocating more financial resources to the assemblies would enable them to initiate, implement and sustain strategic programmes and projects that would respond directly to the needs and aspirations of their constituents.

He said the new funding arrangement would allow assemblies to be more responsive, innovative and accountable in delivering services that touched the daily lives of Ghanaians across all regions.

“This policy shift underscores the Mahama administration’s unwavering belief that true national transformation begins at the local level, and that empowered districts are the foundation of an inclusive, prosperous, and self-reliant Ghana,” he emphasised.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana, Kwesi Amoafo-Yeboah, said the 24-hour economy policy must be the engine that would keep the country moving.

“It is not just about staying open longer; it is about fostering a business culture that is agile, responsive, and globally competitive,” he said.

The Chairman of Consolidated Shipping Agencies Ltd, Dr Macdonald Vasnani, said in the effort to accelerate economic growth and development, it had become essential to adopt strategies that would foster inclusive growth, job creation and poverty reduction. 

The pharmaceutical industry, automotive sector, in the logistics, freight forwarding, customs brokerage, warehousing and the transportation space needs to be looked at and must be reserved for indigenous companies,” he said.

Some award winners at the event were Latex Foam as the Ghana Foam and Mattress Business Pride Award 2025 recipient; M&G Pharmaceuticals as Ghana Pharmaceutical Business Pride Award 2025 recipient; B5 Plus Group as Ghana Iron and Steel Business Pride Award 2025 recipient; Jay Kay Industries and Investments Limited as Ghana Printing and Paper Packaging Business Pride Award 2025 recipient and De-United Food Industries Ghana Ltd as Ghana Food Processing Business Pride Award 2025 recipient.