The Member of Parliament for Takoradi, Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah, has held discussions with the British High Commissioner to Ghana, Christian Rogg, on practical areas of cooperation to position Takoradi as a growing financial services hub modelled on the City of London.
The discussions focused on opportunities for the United Kingdom to support enterprise development, investment and youth empowerment in the constituency, drawing on Britain’s experience in developing one of the world’s leading financial centres.
Mr Darko-Mensah received the British High Commissioner during a courtesy visit to Takoradi, where they also exchanged views on Ghana-UK relations and opportunities to strengthen economic cooperation.
The engagement took place on the sidelines of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Takoradi Floating Dock Project, a £101 million investment aimed at establishing the Gulf of Guinea’s first commercial-scale ship repair and dry-docking facility.
The project, known as ShipRite, forms part of the UK-Ghana Growth Partnership signed in June 2026 during President John Dramani Mahama’s visit to the United Kingdom. It is backed by the UK-supported Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) and being delivered in partnership with the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA).
The facility will be developed under a 25-year concession and will be capable of servicing vessels of up to 200 metres in length. When operational, it is expected to create up to 430 direct jobs, with approximately 30 per cent of the positions expected to be occupied by women, while strengthening Ghana’s position as a regional maritime services hub.
Beyond the maritime investment, Mr Darko-Mensah used his engagement with the British High Commissioner to advance his vision of developing Takoradi into a financial services centre capable of attracting businesses and investment from across Ghana and the wider West African sub-region.
“We explored concrete areas of cooperation around enterprise development and youth empowerment. I shared my vision for positioning Takoradi as a growing financial services hub, drawing inspiration from the City of London, and we discussed how UK expertise and partnership could help turn that aspiration into reality,” he stated.
The City of London, commonly known as the Square Mile, is a major global financial and professional services centre, hosting banks, insurance companies, investment firms and other specialist businesses. It generates approximately £113 billion in annual economic output and accounts for one in every five financial services jobs in Great Britain.
The MP’s vision seeks to draw on aspects of this established financial ecosystem to expand Takoradi’s economic base beyond its traditional strengths in port operations, maritime services, oil and gas, and commercial activities.
Such an ambition would require attracting financial institutions, investment managers, insurance companies and professional service providers, alongside developing the skills and infrastructure needed to support a competitive financial services sector.
Mr Darko-Mensah expressed appreciation to the British High Commissioner for the engagement and said he hoped the discussions would translate into practical opportunities for young people in Takoradi, the Western Region and Ghana as a whole.
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