Focal Persons Network key to resolving investor concerns, boosting confidence – GIPA

The Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) has underscored the importance of its Aftercare and Investor Grievance Division’s Focal Persons Network in ensuring the speedy resolution of concerns raised by businesses operating in Ghana.

Speaking at the GIPA Focal Persons Forum in Accra on August 24, 2026, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Authority, Abdul Razak Baba, said that the establishment of the network was aimed at creating direct points of contact between the Authority and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to facilitate the resolution of investor concerns.

"This is precisely why we are establishing the Focal Persons Network. By designating officers within our partner institutions, we are creating direct points of contact to facilitate the expeditious resolution of investor concerns," he said.

According to the Deputy CEO, many of the challenges affecting investors cut across the mandates of different public institutions, making effective coordination essential to resolving them.

He said investors interact with public institutions on issues including taxes, customs, immigration, permits, licences, utilities and land, adding that delays in resolving such matters could undermine investor confidence even when the country's broader economic environment was improving.

"These investors interact with our public institutions every day. They deal with us on taxes, customs, immigration, permits, licences, utilities, land and several other matters that directly affect their ability to operate," the Deputy CEO said.

He explained that GIPA established the Aftercare and Investor Grievance Division in 2020 to provide structured post-establishment support to registered businesses, enabling them to overcome legitimate operational challenges, expand their businesses and reinvest in Ghana.



Some of the Focal Persons at the event:

The Deputy CEO said Focal Persons would serve as the "direct bridge" between GIPA, investors and their respective institutions by directing investor concerns to the appropriate technical units, facilitating engagement and ensuring that GIPA received timely feedback on the status of cases.

"When a matter is referred to your institution, we expect you to help direct it to the appropriate technical unit, facilitate the necessary engagement and ensure that GIPA receives clear and timely feedback on its status," he said.

For his part, the Head of GIPA’s Aftercare and Investor Grievance Division, Charles Opoku-Mensah, said the role of the Focal Persons extended beyond resolving individual complaints to providing an early-warning system for emerging challenges that could affect investors.

He explained that Focal Persons would serve as institutional contacts, facilitators, advocates, early-warning partners and record and feedback channels, helping to connect investor intelligence with the appropriate institutional response.

Opoku-Mensah said the importance of the network had increased following the passage of the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority Act, 2026 (Act 1173), which gives investor grievance resolution a statutory footing and establishes a formal, time-bound Investor Grievance Mechanism.



Charles Opoku-Mensah

Under the mechanism, he said, government institutions must acknowledge grievances within five days, while GIPA has a target of facilitating their resolution or communicating a recommendation or decision within three months. Relevant government institutions are also required to cooperate in good faith, provide requested information and implement outcomes promptly.

Opoku-Mensah said the effectiveness of the Focal Persons Network would ultimately be measured by its ability to improve the speed and quality of institutional responses to investor concerns. He cited GIPA’s first-half 2026 performance, noting that the Division had engaged 1,028 investors and achieved a 56% issue resolution rate, compared with 31% for the whole of 2025.

He added that effective aftercare was essential to retaining investors, encouraging expansion and reinvestment, and ensuring that businesses already operating in Ghana became positive ambassadors for the country. The Deputy CEO similarly stressed that existing investors' experience would influence their willingness to remain, expand, and commit additional capital to Ghana.

The two officials therefore called for active collaboration between GIPA and the designated Focal Persons, with the Deputy CEO urging them to help build a network that improves communication, strengthens coordination and delivers practical results for investors and Ghana.

BAI

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