By Gloria Anderson
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), through its international volunteerism initiative—the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV)—is actively supporting Ghana’s development across key sectors, notably health, education, trade, and industry.
One of the standout initiatives under this cooperation is the Enterprise Development with Kaizen project, implemented in partnership with the Ghana Enterprise Agency (GEA). The project is equipping local businesses with the globally acclaimed Kaizen principles—rooted in the idea of “continuous improvement” or “change for the better.”
In Mampong, a town in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, local businesses are increasingly adopting the Kaizen philosophy and reporting measurable improvements in their operations, turnaround times, and productivity.
Afi Juliana Yamanu, owner of the Beatee Agro-processing Company—a small-scale gari manufacturing outfit—shared her experience through her daughter, Beatrice Ayawo:
“We have embraced Kaizen here, and it has transformed our operations. In the past, our factory was cluttered and disorganised. Now, we’ve compartmentalised our space and labeled each section—washing, peeling, processing, and pressing. This organisation has helped us work faster and more efficiently. We’ve doubled our daily output from one and a half bags to three bags.”
Mr. Alexander Nyame, Head of the Mampong Business Resource Centre (BRC), who recently traveled to Japan for a training course, praised the Japanese government’s commitment to developing Small and Medium-scale Enterprises (SMEs).
“Japan has built efficient and collaborative support institutions for SMEs. It’s a system we can learn from to strengthen our own Business Resource Centres,” he noted.
The BRCs serve as one-stop enterprise support hubs at the district level, offering a wide range of Business Development Services (BDS) to both new and existing entrepreneurs. They also act as financial facilitation points and information centers for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). Introduced in 2017 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry through the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) with support from GEA, BRCs are integral to Ghana’s broader Industrial Transformation Agenda.
However, challenges remain. According to Mr. Nyame, many MSMEs in Mampong still rely on outdated practices, leading to inefficient production and significant input losses.
“Some businesses have yet to refine their processes, while others struggle with inventory management,” he said.
Despite these hurdles, he was quick to commend JICA’s intervention:
“We are very grateful to JICA. Mr. Yabushita, the JOCV volunteer assigned to our Centre, is incredibly resourceful and dedicated. He introduced the Kaizen Convention to help propagate the core principles of Kaizen to local businesses. Over 240 businesses participated and learned how to streamline production, organize workspaces, minimize waste, and improve product quality.”
Mr. Yabushita is also in the process of establishing a Kaizen Club for local businesses in Mampong.
“I share knowledge to help businesses grow. Many companies in Mampong have great potential and are eager to learn. Seeing real improvements in their operations motivates me to do more,” he said.
“Their success stories can inspire other communities across the country.”
Jennifer Mortson, owner of Mort-Jenn Fashion Enterprise, testified to the benefits of the Kaizen training:
“We’ve learned to identify and harness the unique sewing talents of our team. Everyone now focuses on tasks they excel in, which has significantly improved our efficiency. Where we once sewed two dresses, we now produce five in the same timeframe. My team is happy and already planning to apply Kaizen in their future businesses.”
Beyond productivity improvement, Mr. Yabushita is also equipping staff at the Mampong BRC with digital skills and training them in the use of various business software. The BRC is currently working on a plan to extend this training to other local businesses, further amplifying the impact of JICA’s technical cooperation.
