A Turkish-Ghanaian joint venture has broken ground on a $40 million garment manufacturing facility inside the Tema Free Zone, expected to create over 3,000 direct jobs once fully operational in 2027. The plant will produce finished apparel for export to European and North American markets, taking advantage of Ghana's duty-free access under AGOA and its proximity to the Port of Tema. Government officials at the groundbreaking ceremony pointed to the deal as evidence that the Free Zones programme is finally delivering the kind of large-scale manufacturing investment it was designed to attract. Local industry groups welcomed the announcement but called for stronger backward linkages to Ghanaian cotton and textile suppliers, rather than relying entirely on imported fabric.