By Grace Zigah
In a move signaling the continued push for industrial transformation, President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, February 20, 2026, officially commissioned the state-of-the-art Steel Ball Mill and Section Mill (SMS) manufacturing plant at Lakpleku, near Prampram.
The facility, operated by B5 Plus Limited, represents the second phase of the company’s expansion under then Akufo-Addo government’s One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) initiative and forms a cornerstone of now Mahama’s 24-Hour Economy agenda.
The plant, which builds on the initial operations commissioned in April 2021 by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, substantially increases the domestic steel production capacity.
The new facility is equipped to manufacture structural steel sections, grinding media balls for the mining industry, pre-engineered building systems, as well as heavy industrial structures including warehouses, trailers, and tankers.
Speaking at the event, President Mahama stressed the importance of industrial self-reliance and reducing dependence on steel imports.
“If we reduce steel imports by even 20 to 30 percent annually, the foreign exchange savings alone could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars. This is what industrial sovereignty is about,” he noted.
The President highlighted the strategic significance of local steel production as a barometer of industrial growth.
“Steel consumption is a strong indicator of industrial development,” he said.
“Across emerging economies, per capita steel consumption rises in tandem with infrastructural development, urbanisation, and industrial expansion.”
This development comes amid ongoing debates over the proper crediting of previous government investments in industrial infrastructure, with some critics pointing out that the plant had been operational since 2021 under the 1D1F initiative.
Nonetheless, President Mahama framed the recommissioning as part of an expanded industrial strategy, emphasizing the need for modernisation, scale, and integration into the 24-Hour Economy framework.
The expansion is expected to boost employment in Prampram and surrounding districts while positioning Ghana to meet rising domestic demand for steel and industrial structures, a key step in achieving industrial self-reliance and long-term economic transformation.
