President John Dramani Mahama has expressed strong confidence that the under-construction float glass manufacturing plant at Shama will rank among the largest of its kind in Africa and deliver substantial export revenue while reducing Ghana’s heavy reliance on imported glass products.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the float glass factory and the simultaneous commissioning of a sanitary wares facility by KEDA (Ghana) Ceramics Company Limited, the President described the projects as transformative for the national economy, particularly in the construction, automobile, and manufacturing sectors.
“In 2024 alone, Ghana imported over 65,000 tons of glass products valued at almost $25 million to meet demand in our construction industry, automobile, and manufacturing sectors,” he noted. “This factory is going to change that equation. It will reduce our imports of glass, save us foreign exchange, and position Ghana as a major regional exporter of glass.”
The President highlighted the ambitious scale of the float glass facility, stating: “When completed, this will be one of the largest float glass facilities in Africa. We’re going to export glass from here to other African countries and also to Europe and other destinations.”
At full capacity, the plant is projected to produce 1,400 tonnes of glass per day, with export earnings alone expected to reach nearly $100 million annually.
President Mahama emphasised that the initiative aligns with the government’s broader agenda to promote import substitution, industrialisation, job creation, and value addition in strategic sectors. He added that the factory will conserve foreign exchange, strengthen supply chains for local industries, and create direct and indirect employment opportunities in the Western Region and beyond.
The sanitary wares factory, commissioned on the same day, further complements efforts to deepen local manufacturing capacity in construction-related products.
The twin projects are seen as key milestones in Ghana’s drive toward self-sufficiency in building materials and export diversification. Government officials and industry stakeholders have welcomed the developments as positive steps toward reducing the country’s import bill and enhancing economic resilience.
The float glass plant is expected to commence phased production in the coming years, with full capacity rollout anticipated to significantly alter Ghana’s trade balance in glass products and position the country as a competitive player in the regional and continental market.
