Accra, April 16, – Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Hunan Architectural Design Institute Group to support large-scale infrastructure planning under the Government’s 24-Hour Economy Programme.
The agreement, signed at the Office of the President in Accra, will provide technical expertise for the development of the Volta Economic Corridor, a flagship initiative aimed at boosting agro-industrial production, exports and job creation.
Mr Augustus Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, described the partnership as a practical step towards implementing Ghana’s long-term economic transformation agenda.
He said the collaboration followed earlier engagements in Changsha, the capital of China’s Hunan Province, where both parties identified key areas of cooperation, particularly in spatial planning and infrastructure design.
Mr Tanoh noted that Hunan’s transition from an agricultural economy into an engineering and construction hub was driven by deliberate investment in infrastructure and planning.
He said Ghana was adopting a similar model, stressing that detailed planning of roads, water systems, energy networks and industrial zones must precede large-scale industrialisation.
“This partnership brings the same planning discipline that transformed Hunan to Ghana’s development agenda,” he said.
The Volta Economic Corridor, which forms the core of the agreement, spans from Tema through Akosombo, Afram Plains, Yeji, Buipe and Yapei to Tamale.
The corridor is expected to serve as a green industrial zone integrating agriculture, manufacturing and logistics.
Under the 24-Hour Economy Programme, Government plans to convert more than two million hectares of arable land into agroecological parks linked to industrial parks and supported by modern transport systems.
The initiative is expected to reduce import dependence and position Ghana as a competitive exporter.
The MoU mandates the Hunan firm to support master planning and spatial design for key zones within the corridor, including agroecological and industrial parks, as well as infrastructure systems such as roads, water supply, sewage and pipelines.
Mr Tanoh said such foundational infrastructure was critical to attracting private investment, as investors required reliable utilities and well-planned industrial environments.
The agreement also includes project structuring support using Engineering, Procurement and Construction plus Finance (EPC+F) and EPC plus Investment (EPC+I) models to mobilise private sector funding.
The Volta Economic Corridor is projected to generate more than 500,000 direct jobs.
Feasibility studies for its multimodal transport systems are being supported by the African Development Bank.
Mr Tanoh said the Government would prioritise energy availability along the corridor, with plans to deploy renewable energy to reduce electricity costs and enhance industrial competitiveness.
He said initial implementation would begin with pilot projects involving two industrial parks and three agroecological parks to test design concepts and build technical capacity.
The agreement also provides for technical training and knowledge exchange to strengthen local expertise in large-scale project development.
Mr Tanoh said the partnership was results-oriented, with expectations for the rapid deployment of technical teams and delivery of detailed plans.
“The building blocks are in place. What we need now is execution,” he said.
The collaboration is expected to support Ghana’s transition to a value-added, export-driven economy anchored on integrated infrastructure and private sector participation.
GHBUSS
April 16, 2026
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