While there exists a strong demand for steel and related products in Ghana and the subregion, there are no major producers in West Africa.  This is in spite of widespread availability of natural resources and trained personnel.  For instance, Opon-Mansi, in Ghana is estimated to have an ore reserve of 174.4 million long tons.  Industrial steel, agricultural implements like spades, shovel, forks, mattocks, pricks, hoes, shears scythes etc. are in great demand as well as construction/industrial tools like screwdrivers, hammers, anvils, handsaws, blades etc.   

The hand tools industry in Ghana includes those used in agriculture, such as machetes, spades, shovels, axes and shears, as well as those utilized in construction including saws, spanners, wrenches, hammers, chisels, vices and clamps.
With agriculture comprising over 40 percent of Ghana’s annual GDP and employing 54 percent of its workforce, agricultural tools and implements are the most widely used in Ghana. In addition, there has been increasing demand for hand tools used in construction and industry. This has been driven by steady growth in sectors such as manufacturing which grew an average 3.6% annually from 1995-1999

Investment opportunities in the hand tools sector exist in the following areas:

BASIC MATERIALS

• Industrial use steel .

AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS

• Spade and shovels;
• Forks, mattocks, picks, hoes and rakes;
• Shears;
• Scythes;
• Axes, bill hooks and similar hewing tools.

CONSTRUCTION / INDUSTRIAL TOOLS

• Screwdrivers;
• Hammers;
• Anvils, portable forges and grinding wheels;
• Hand saws and blades;
• Drilling and threading tools;
• Planes, chisels, gouges and similar wood-cutting tools;
• Vices, clamps, wrenches, spanners, pliers and tweezers;
• Pipe-cutters, bolt croppers, perforating punches and similar tools.

More Details
	Ghana Investment Profile - Hand Tools