Ghana is known to be an import-dependent country due to its heavy reliance on foreign goods.

According to statistics, Ghana imported items totaling about US$13.7 billion in 2023.

This can be attributed to Ghanaians' preference for foreign items instead of locally produced ones.

Some imported items include food, medicine, raw materials, household items, and electrical appliances, among others.

The high import dependency has also pushed inflation to a record high and increased pressure on the local currency, the Cedi.

This has been a major concern for some Ghanaians, especially the business community, as they strive to meet the country’s high demand for certain products.

Many have questioned when the importation of some basic commodities will end, as these items listed below can be produced in Ghana.

Here are five of these items the Ghana imports:

1. Onions

2. Post stamps

3. Toothpick

4. Old Newspapers

5. Old Braziers

Meanwhile, these were Ghana’s top 10 imports in 2023:

See Ghana's top 10 imports below;

1. Diesel - automotive gas oil - GH₵27,124,156,236

2. Light oils, motor spirit, super - GH₵22,306,927,869

3. Cement clinkers - GH₵3,181,100,871

4. Medium oils, Kerosine type jet fuel - GH₵2,775,951,499

5. Cereal grains, worked but not rolled or flaked, of other cereal - GH₵2,731,537,768

6. Secondhand vehicles with engine sizes ranging between 1500cc to 3000cc - GH₵2,511,977,822

7. Herbicides and plant-growth regulators - GH₵2,285,925,048

8. Self-propelled bulldozers - GH₵2,274,925,130

9. Rice, semi-milled or wholly milled rice, package > 5kg or bulk - GH₵2,025,747,980

10. Shea nuts - GH₵2,018,979,619

SA/OGB

Watch the latest edition of BizTech below:



Click here to follow the GhanaWeb Business WhatsApp channel