The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has raised concerns over Ghana’s continued reliance on imports for basic products.
He questioned why the country still imports items such as toothpicks despite its abundant resources.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, he urged deliberate action to strengthen local manufacturing and support private sector‑led industrialisation as a pathway to sustainable job creation.
“I’ve been Minister for Trade and Industry and I carry the shame. How come that in Ghana we cannot produce toothpicks and must import them?” he asked.
The minister also criticised the misuse of public funds intended to support private sector development.
He alleged that some individuals who received government financing for farming projects diverted the money instead of investing it in agriculture.
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“There are people who took money in the name of the private sector, who said they were going to farm. Their monies never went to their farms. You know that,” he told Parliament.
Iddrisu stressed that tackling inefficiencies and supporting productive enterprises will be critical to expanding local industries and creating employment.
DR/SA
How come we cannot produce toothpick in Ghana and we must import it?
— GTV Ghana (@GTV_Ghana) July 14, 2026
- Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education #GBCNews #ParliamentOfGhana pic.twitter.com/V1rmRplAdH
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