Accra: Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister of Trade, Industry and Agribusiness, has vowed to resolve land litigations for businesses to flourish through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). The goal is to reduce the burden of time-consuming litigations, financial and reputational risks associated with land disputes, allowing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) businesses to operate with greater certainty in the country and create jobs.

According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare, a Lawyer and ADR practitioner, made this commitment during a visit to B5 Plus Group, a leading steel and iron manufacturing company, Dawa Industrial Zone, and Bright International Free Zone. The pledge was made in response to concerns raised by FDI companies regarding land litigations and other challenges such as exemptions on custom duties, Value Added Tax (VAT) on machinery, equipment, raw materials, and import tariffs on locally producible goods.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare assured that land disputes would be resolved through ADR, a method she described as faster, more convenient, and less time-consuming. She mentioned that discussions with the National Security Coordinator are underway and that a meeting is scheduled for the following week to address these issues.

Furthermore, the Minister expressed her intent to collaborate with the Minister of Finance and other related ministries to stabilize the economy, thereby enabling FDI companies to thrive and generate employment opportunities for Ghanaians. She commended the companies for ensuring worker safety and emphasized the importance of dignity and safety in the workplace.

Addressing the issue of inferior product importation and smuggling, Mrs Ofosu-Adjare highlighted plans to work with relevant authorities, including the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), to tackle these problems. She emphasized the importance of regulating imports to prevent the influx of cheap goods and smuggling activities.

Mr Richard Kwame Frimpong, Managing Director of Dawa Industrial Zone, expressed commitment to developing infrastructure for businesses, supporting the government’s industrialization agenda through special economic zones. Meanwhile, Mr Wilson Wu, General Manager of Greenhouse International Development Ghana Ltd, expressed optimism about reducing import dependency by building a robust industrial framework to boost exports and foreign exchange reserves. He also pledged to attract more investors to create jobs, train skilled workers, and generate tax revenue for the government.