Trade, Agribusiness and Industry Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has officially confirmed the discontinuation of the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative, marking the end of one of the New Patriotic Party’s hallmark industrialisation policies.

Addressing Members of Parliament on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, the Minister revealed that not only had the policy been scrapped, but it also no longer provided any incentives.

“Mr Speaker, I want to draw the House’s attention to the fact that as of now, there is no policy as 1D1F,” Mrs Ofosu-Adjare stated during her submission on the floor.

The confirmation came in response to a question posed by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin. He had sought clarification on the specific investment incentives being employed to attract private sector participation in the wake of the 1D1F’s cancellation, and what steps were being taken to mitigate investment risks in Ghana’s industrial sector, especially in less-developed areas.

“Is the ministry MOTAI exploring the establishment of new industrial parks as part of revised investment attraction strategy?” the Minority Leader further queried.

In reply, the Minister outlined a new direction being pursued by the government under the 24-hour economy framework, a flagship initiative of the current administration.

“The 24-hour economy policy is the new thing on the block and the game changer, which seeks to make Ghana very vibrant irrespective of the minute of the hour or the time of the day,” she explained.

As part of this renewed focus, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said the ministry is developing agro-processing parks, which she described as a transformative component of the 24-hour economy strategy.

“We are doing agro-parks which seek to be a great game changer especially in the agro-processing zones and it is being worked on to ensure we are able to produce around the clock for import substitution, export, foreign exchange and to create jobs for our teeming youth,” she added.

The now-defunct 1D1F initiative, introduced in 2017 under the previous NPP administration, sought to promote industrialisation by establishing at least one factory in each district. Its core objective was to shift the economy from one reliant on raw material exports to one driven by value addition and the export of finished products.

With its phase-out, the government appears committed to redirecting its industrial agenda through newer initiatives that align with broader economic transformation goals.