Strategic Partnership for Economic Growth
The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Secretariat, operating under the Office of the President, has entered into a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Hunan Architectural Design Institute Group (HADI Group) from the People’s Republic of China. This collaboration aims to support the industrial planning of the Volta Economic Corridor (VEC) and attract substantial infrastructure investments.
The agreement was formalized during a ceremony in Accra and is expected to significantly accelerate the implementation of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy agenda. By transforming the Volta Economic Corridor into an investment-ready economic hub, this partnership seeks to enhance economic development and create new opportunities for growth.
At the event, the leader of the HADI Group delegation, Chairman He Liu, expressed the group’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s development vision. “We are ready to partner for the development of Ghana. Seeing the vision reflected here gives us confidence that this collaboration is built on a strong and practical foundation,” he stated.
Augustus Goosie Tanoh, the Presidential Advisor for 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, highlighted earlier discussions held in Changsha, China, in January 2026, which laid the groundwork for this agreement. “When we sat together in Changsha, we agreed that this relationship must be practical. Three months later, here we are,” he noted.
Mr. Tanoh emphasized that Hunan’s transformation from an agrarian region into a global engineering and construction hub was driven by strategic planning. He added that Ghana is following a similar path. “The institution helped plan the infrastructure that built modern Hunan. We are asking them to bring that same capability to Ghana. The work starts now,” he said.
Vision for the Volta Economic Corridor
The Volta Economic Corridor is positioned as the centerpiece of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Programme. This initiative aims to restructure production, processing, and trade across the country. The corridor will stretch from the Port of Tema through Akosombo, Afram Plains, Yeji, Buipe, Yapei, and Tamale, and is envisioned as Ghana’s first net-zero green economic corridor.
The project plans to integrate more than two million hectares of arable land into agroecological parks linked to industrial parks and multimodal transport systems, financed through structured private investment. Renewable energy installations along the corridor are projected to reduce power costs to below seven cents per kilowatt hour, making local manufacturing more competitive.
The African Development Bank has also committed funding for feasibility studies on the corridor’s multimodal transport component. Officials estimate that the Volta Economic Corridor will create more than 500,000 direct jobs when fully implemented.
Collaboration and Future Projects
Under the MOU, HADI Group will collaborate with the Secretariat on master planning and spatial design for key development zones, including roads, water supply systems, sewage treatment, and infrastructure networks for agroecological and industrial parks. The agreement also includes technical training and knowledge exchange between Ghanaian planners and HADI Group engineers.
As part of the initial phase, both parties have agreed to begin pilot projects involving two industrial parks and three agroecological parks along the corridor, with conceptual designs set to commence immediately.
This partnership represents a critical step towards achieving sustainable economic growth and development in Ghana. With the support of HADI Group, the Volta Economic Corridor is poised to become a model for future infrastructure and industrial development in the region.
