Yussif Issaka Jajah is the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Yussif Issaka Jajah, has launched the Osagyefo Made-in-Ghana Fair during the 2025 Dubois–Padmore–Nkrumah Memorial Lecture held at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park.
He performed the launch on behalf of the sector minister, Abla Dzifa Gomashie.
The official launch of the fair was accompanied by a strong reaffirmation of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s enduring vision of industrialization as the cornerstone of Ghana’s economic independence.
The ministry stressed that political freedom without economic sovereignty was incomplete, emphasizing that industrialization must integrate cultural pride, creativity, and identity to thrive in the 21st century.
The Made-in-Ghana Fair, according to the ministry, provides a deliberate platform to showcase Ghanaian ingenuity, craftsmanship, and innovation, bridging tradition with modern enterprise.
It is also a rallying call for Ghanaians to “patronize Ghana, build Ghana, and believe in Ghana,” thereby transforming Nkrumah’s ideas from rhetoric into tangible progress through innovation and cross-sector partnerships.
Welcoming participants, Acting Executive Director of the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Collins Rawlings Nunyonameh, noted that Ghana stands at a development crossroads, making Nkrumah’s blueprint of industrialization, self-reliance, and continental unity more relevant than ever.
He underscored that Nkrumah’s aspirations for Africa as an industrial hub remain unfinished but achievable.
The event, held under the theme “Revisiting Nkrumah’s Industrial Vision: Lessons for Ghana and Africa in the 21st Century,” honored the legacies of three Pan-African icons, WEB Du Bois, George Padmore, and Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Speakers and panellists engaged in critical reflections on how Ghana and Africa can draw practical lessons from Nkrumah’s vision in an era defined by digital transformation, climate change, and shifting geopolitics.
Nkrumah’s vision of factories, skilled engineers, rail connectivity, and energy efficiency was highlighted as a model for Ghana’s and Africa’s economic future.
Participants were challenged to evaluate how far the nation has progressed in realising this dream and what bold steps remain necessary to achieve a self-reliant industrialised economy.
The memorial lecture concluded with a panel discussion and a tour of the Made-in-Ghana Fair, which showcased products and innovations by Ghanaian entrepreneurs and artisans.
