President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaian entrepreneurs to ensure that businesses they build through decades of sacrifice remain sustainable beyond their lifetime.

Speaking at the commissioning of the CBI Ghana Calcined Clay Plant and expanded cement facility, the President said succession planning remains critical to preserving the legacy of Ghanaian enterprises.

Beyond the issue of succession, President Mahama used the occasion to reaffirm his government’s broader industrialisation agenda. He recalled the vision of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, who championed industrial development as the pathway to national prosperity rather than dependence on the export of raw materials.

President Mahama said that vision continues to guide his administration’s economic transformation strategy, which seeks to increase the manufacturing sector’s contribution to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product to at least 15 percent by 2030. He expressed confidence that achieving this target would create an additional 500,000 decent jobs across the country.

According to him, the commissioning and groundbreaking of several factories across Ghana demonstrate steady progress toward that goal. He pointed to ongoing industrial projects in the textile, steel and ceramics sectors, including new facilities within special economic zones and expansions at key manufacturing hubs.

The President also recalled the recent groundbreaking for a new glass manufacturing factory, noting that Ghana has relied on imported glass products since the collapse of the historic Aboso Glass Factory, which was established under Nkrumah’s industrialisation drive. He said the new facility is expected to begin production next year and will supply the domestic market while exporting to neighbouring countries.