According to the High Commissioner, this initiative forms a central pillar of Canada’s development cooperation and aligns strongly with Ghana’s renewed focus on skills training and job creation. Speaking at a media engagement in Accra, Ms. Montrat, who also serves as High Commissioner to Sierra Leone and Togo, stated that the funding underscores Canada’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s long-term economic transformation through technical training and youth empowerment.

“Technical and vocational training is a priority for us because it creates opportunity, supports industries, and builds the talent base needed for inclusive growth,” she said. The investment represents only a part of a broader, decades-long partnership, with Canada providing more than US$2.5 billion in development assistance to Ghana since independence.

Ms. Montrat highlighted Canada’s contributions to Ghana’s health sector, including support for free primary healthcare and strengthening the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Recent interventions have helped around four million people, mostly women, access sexual and reproductive health services, while 2.5 million adolescent girls benefited from nutrition programmes that reduced anaemia from 48% in 2022 to 43% in 2024.

Canada has also supported women’s rights and leadership in Ghana, notably funding civil society groups that contributed to the passage of the Affirmative Action Law in 2024. The country now supports the law’s implementation at local governance levels to ensure increased female representation and stronger community leadership.

On trade and investment, Ms. Montrat stated that Ghana is Canada’s fifth-largest bilateral trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, with two-way merchandise trade reaching US$483 million in 2024. Canadian mining assets in Ghana are valued at over US$1.1 billion. Through the Trade Commissioner Service, both countries are deepening collaboration in clean technology, infrastructure, ICT, sustainable mining, and agri-food processing.

Ms. Montrat emphasized that Canada seeks to create the right conditions for sustainable investment and entrepreneurship in Ghana, stressing the importance of transparency, stability, and innovation to attract new business.