Japan’s development agency has called on Ghana to institutionalise the Japanese philosophy of continuous improvement known as Kaizen as a formal national development strategy, warning that infrastructure investment alone cannot resolve the country’s deep-seated productivity challenges.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) made the call at a high-level awareness seminar themed “Kaizen for Ghana: Unlocking National Productivity, Business Growth and Public Sector Excellence,” held in Accra with participation from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Ethiopia Kaizen Excellence Centre.
JICA Ghana Chief Representative Takayuki Uchiyama noted that Ghana’s labour productivity grew by 3.06 percent in 2024, according to the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), but said the figure remains well below the country’s long-term historical average of 6.06 percent measured between 1992 and 2024. He linked the gap to structural inefficiencies, bureaucratic delays, skills mismatch, and weak workplace systems that policy reforms and capital investments have not resolved.
“Sustainable transformation requires a national mindset shift, one that embeds a culture of continuous improvement, discipline, efficiency and excellence within our institutions and society,” Uchiyama said.
He pointed to Ethiopia as a model, where political commitment led to the establishment of the Ethiopia Kaizen Excellence Centre and the mainstreaming of the philosophy across industries, public institutions, and technical education. He said JICA, UNIDO, and the Ethiopian centre believe Ghana must now move from isolated Kaizen projects to full national adoption.
Uchiyama said Kaizen principles align with Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy initiative under the ASPIRE framework and could strengthen accountability in public institutions, improve service delivery, and build a more competitive small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah, representing the presidency at the seminar, said the government recognises the programme’s value as a tool for increasing productivity while eliminating waste and delays. He noted that the principles of discipline, attention to detail, and continuous improvement are central to the administration’s approach to governance.
JICA reaffirmed its commitment to deepening cooperation with Ghana as the two countries prepare to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2027.
