The handover, carried out in collaboration with development partners, aims to reposition GRATIS Foundation and TSCs to support government’s broader agenda of agribusiness-led industrialisation and technical skills transformation.
The centres are expected to manufacture agro-processing machinery and essential farming implements locally, reducing the country’s dependence on imported equipment.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry (MOTAI), this will lower production costs for farmers and agro-processors while enhancing value chains in crops such as cassava, tomato, maize, cashew and poultry.
In addition to fabricating equipment, the centres will also produce spare-parts, offer factory maintenance and deliver after-sales technical support to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and industries at the district level.
At a ceremony to mark the handover in Elmina, Central Region, Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, said the centres will serve as technical support hubs for agro-industrial zones and contribute to government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy by providing continuous engineering services.
“With hostels and training infrastructure in place, the centres will scale up their contribution to Ghana’s human capital development, aligned with government’s renewed national apprenticeship and skills transformation agenda,” Ahi said.
He added that TSCs represent a strategic investment in grassroots industrialisation, noting their role in providing certified vocational training to junior and senior high school graduates, master craftsmen and aspiring entrepreneurs.
“We recognise that for any industrialisation effort to succeed, robust technological support – particularly in equipment repairs, spare-parts fabrication and maintenance – is essential,” he said.
Mr. Ahi noted that the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry is prioritising agribusiness as a catalyst for industrial development, with a focus on attracting investment in high-quality agricultural raw materials to boost manufacturing and exports.
To strengthen engineering capacity across TSCs, he said, GRATIS Foundation has retooled its central workshop, including installation of a new Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machine.
“With these upgrades, GRATIS is positioning itself to become a national centre for technical innovation, rural industrialisation and skills development,” he added.
TSCs are a rebranded form of the Rural Technology Facilities (RTFs) which historically served as vehicles for rural industrial growth, technology transfer and skills development.
The 31 centres were established under a tripartite arrangement between REP, beneficiary district assemblies and GRATIS Foundation.
REP, initiated in 1995, aimed to stimulate rural economic growth through micro and small enterprise development. It expanded in phases from 13 districts to 161 and is scheduled to end in December 2025.
Speaking at the event, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GRATIS Foundation, Dr. Isaac Adaebsah, said TSCs will play a vital role in driving inclusive industrial growth at the district level.
“Through these centres, thousands of artisans, fabricators, machine operators and young entrepreneurs across the country have gained access to affordable fabrication services, training and appropriate technologies to improve their businesses and livelihoods,” he said.
Dr. Adaebsah said the Foundation intends to deepen its collaboration with local industries, engage more youth and artisans and ensure that each TSC becomes a centre of opportunity and productivity in its region.
National Director-REP, Kwasi Attah-Antwi, said the handover represents “the culmination of nearly three decades of work, commitment and collaboration in promoting rural industrialisation and MSME development across Ghana”.
“As REP draws to a close, it is only fitting and strategically sound that we mainstream its key interventions into permanent national institutions. GRATIS Foundation, which has served as the lead implementing agency for the Technology Promotion Component of REP since inception, is the natural home for TSCs,” he added.
He recognised the government of Ghana, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and African Development Bank (AfDB) for their consistent financial and technical support.
source : Business and Financial Times
