Ghana’s Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry has called on Municipal and District Chief Executives (MDCEs) to take urgent leadership in sustaining the achievements of the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) as it nears its official conclusion in December 2025.
At a high-level orientation engagement held in Sunyani on Monday, October 13, 2025, the Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Sampson Ahi, stressed the critical role of local government authorities in transitioning REP’s extensive network of enterprise support systems from donor-funded operations to fully integrated components of local economic development plans.
Launched in 1995, REP has evolved over three decades into a national programme supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through initiatives such as Business Advisory Centres (BACs), Business Resource Centres (BRCs), and Technology Solution Centres (TSCs). These facilities, embedded within district structures, have been instrumental in job creation, youth empowerment, and rural industrialisation.
According to Hon. Ahi, “REP’s work has significantly shaped Ghana’s MSME and industrialisation landscape,” adding that “its interventions supported the development of Ghana’s MSME Policy, the transformation of NBSSI into the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), and the repositioning of the GRATIS Foundation as a national centre for technical innovation.”
With the programme’s funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) ending this December, the Ministry is shifting its focus from implementation to sustainability. The orientation sought to familiarise the new MDCEs with REP’s infrastructure, partnerships, and achievements while underscoring their mandate to maintain and scale its impact.
Hon. Ahi urged, “Colleagues, at this stage, the focus must shift from programme implementation to institutional sustainability within the context of His Excellency the President’s vision for agribusiness development. The BRCs, ENABLE Youth Factories, Common User Facilities, and Technology Solution Centres built under the Rural Enterprises Programme of the Ministry have a critical role to play in the agribusiness agenda.
You are therefore charged to ensure that these successful models are mainstreamed into the economic development plans of your respective Municipal and District Assemblies.”
The Deputy Minister emphasised the need for MDCEs to integrate REP facilities into district budgets, ensure maintenance and efficient use of the equipment, and strengthen collaborations with agencies such as the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), the GRATIS Foundation, and the ARB Apex Bank.
He further pointed out that the continuity of REP’s benefits would depend largely on the commitment of the Assemblies to align the programme’s assets with national agribusiness development strategies, particularly in value chains like cassava, maize, tomatoes, cashew, and poultry.
As REP closes a landmark chapter, the Ministry views the coming months as pivotal for ensuring its legacy is not only preserved but becomes a foundation for locally driven rural transformation across Ghana.
The Bono Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Addae Akwaboa, commended the managers of the REP while pledging the support of the region to ensure maintenance of the Rural Enterprise facilities established across the region.
The National Director for REP, Mr. Atta Antwi, called for the collective efforts of the Municipal and District Chief Executives to help sustain the gains made and preserve the legacy of the REP in the various jurisdictions.
