Barely three years after its establishment, the Kwahu Business Forum is already making a significant impact on Ghana’s resurgent economy, Senior Presidential Adviser on the Economy, Seth Terkper, has said.
Delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Kwahu Business Forum at Mpraeso Hills, Seth Terkper highlighted the remarkable progress the forum has achieved since it was birthed by President John Dramani Mahama and the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah in 2024.
He noted that what started as an initiative to nurture entrepreneurship within the Kwahu enclave has grown into a credible and increasingly influential platform for business dialogue, investment promotion, and private sector engagement in the country.
“Since its establishment in 2024, it has evolved into a credible and increasingly influential platform for businesses to dialogue, investment promotion and private sector.
“The premise underpinning this initiative remains clear. Ghanaian businesses are capable of competing both locally and internationally when supported by improved access to finance, markets, networks and predictable policy environment and this remains the mandate,” he stated.
Mr. Terkper disclosed that over the past year, the forum has recorded steady and measurable progress, with participation expanding significantly in both scale and diversity.
“Participation has expanded in both scale and diversity, bringing together stakeholders from government, private sector and the diaspora. More importantly, the quality of engagements has improved with discussions becoming more focused, solution-oriented and aligned with practical outcomes,” Mr. Terkper added.
The former Finance Minister revealed that the forum is already delivering tangible results, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises in the agribusiness sector.
“Since 2024, several small and medium scale enterprises in the agribusiness sector have secured diaspora-backed financing. These investments have supported expansions in processing capacity and strengthened export readiness,” he said.
To illustrate the forum’s effectiveness, he cited the success story of Dr. Octavia Otoo of Golf Chemical Limited.
“In the 2025 forum, she presented a proposal for a biofuel production project in Kwahu Afram Plains and through engagements facilitated by this platform and the Chief of Staff’s office she successfully secured funding from the ADB. The project is now progressing. This example underscores the practical value of the forum,” Mr. Terkper noted.
In his opening remarks, the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, emphasised the forum’s strategic importance as a bridge between policy and action.
“This Forum is not a mere ceremony. It is a powerful instrument where policy meets practice, where capital meets creativity, where enterprise meets opportunity, and where public leadership and private sector ambition converge in a unified national dialogue.
“Over the course of this gathering, we will witness networking, exhibitions, investment engagements, and the exchange of ideas. Yet beyond all these, our core objective is to build a stronger, more productive relationship between government and business, between established corporations and emerging entrepreneurs, and between ambition and execution,” he added.
The third edition of the Kwahu Business Forum opened today, Friday, April 3, 2026, at the state-of-the-art Kwahu Convention Centre on Mpraeso Hill in the Eastern Region.