Ghana Races to Sustain REP Gains as Donor Funding Ends in December

As Ghana’s flagship Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) approaches its final phase after three decades of transforming local economies, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry is calling for renewed local ownership and strategic investment to sustain the programme’s legacy beyond December 2025.

Speaking at a high-level orientation engagement in Sunyani, Deputy Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Sampson Ahi, underscored the critical role of local authorities in transitioning REP’s extensive enterprise support systems from donor-funded operations into fully integrated components of local economic development strategies.

Launched in 1995, REP has grown into a nationwide initiative supporting Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) through Business Advisory Centres (BACs), Business Resource Centres (BRCs), and Technology Solution Centres (TSCs). These institutions have been central to job creation, youth empowerment, and rural industrialisation, contributing to Ghana’s broader economic transformation.

According to Mr. Ahi, “REP’s work has significantly shaped Ghana’s MSME and industrialisation landscape,” adding that “its interventions supported the development of Ghana’s MSME Policy, the transformation of NBSSI into the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), and the repositioning of the GRATIS Foundation as a national centre for technical innovation.”

With funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) scheduled to end in December, the Ministry is shifting its focus from implementation to sustainability. The Sunyani engagement was aimed at familiarising newly appointed MDCEs with REP’s infrastructure, partnerships, and achievements while reinforcing their responsibility to maintain and build on its progress.

Mr. Ahi said, “Colleagues, at this stage, the focus must shift from programme implementation to institutional sustainability within the context of His Excellency the President’s vision for agribusiness development. The BRCs, ENABLE Youth Factories, Common User Facilities, and Technology Solution Centres built under the Rural Enterprises Programme of the Ministry have a critical role to play in the agribusiness agenda.
You are therefore charged to ensure that these successful models are mainstreamed into the economic development plans of your respective Municipal and District Assemblies.”

He called on MDCEs to integrate REP facilities into district budgets, ensure regular maintenance of infrastructure, and strengthen partnerships with agencies such as GEA, GRATIS Foundation, and ARB Apex Bank. Sustaining REP’s achievements, he noted, would require aligning its assets with national agribusiness development strategies, especially in key value chains like cassava, maize, tomatoes, cashew, and poultry.

As the programme concludes after three decades of impactful work, the Ministry views the coming months as crucial to ensuring its legacy continues through locally driven rural transformation initiatives.

The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, commended the REP management team for their contributions to regional development and pledged the region’s commitment to maintaining facilities established under the programme.

Meanwhile, the National Director of REP, Atta Antwi, called for collective effort among local authorities to safeguard the programme’s infrastructure and sustain its role in stimulating rural enterprise and employment.

With REP’s official closeout drawing near, the government’s focus is now on ensuring that the programme’s investments, from industrial equipment to training centres, remain active tools for inclusive economic growth, entrepreneurship, and innovation across Ghana’s districts.

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