The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has commissioned a new fleet of vehicles for GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited, describing the investment as a bold step toward strengthening the company’s operational efficiency and market competitiveness.
Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare at GIHOC in strategic turnaround hand over of new fleet of cars.Speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the ceremony held on Wednesday, 26th February 2026, the Minister commended the Board and Management for prioritizing distribution and market access as critical drivers of growth. She noted that state-owned enterprises must continuously modernize their operations to remain competitive in an evolving business environment.
Madam Ofosu-Adjare emphasized that the acquisition of the fleet aligns with government’s broader industrial transformation agenda, which seeks to reposition public enterprises as profitable and self-sustaining institutions. According to her, strengthening logistics and delivery systems is key to expanding national reach and improving customer satisfaction.
She further urged Management and Staff of GIHOC to ensure the vehicles are deployed efficiently and maintained properly to guarantee value for money. “Investment in assets must translate into measurable performance outcomes,” she stated, adding that the Ministry will continue to support initiatives that enhance productivity and financial sustainability within state-owned enterprises.
Delivering his address, the Chief Executive Officer of GIHOC Distilleries, Mr. Jones Borteye Applerh described the commissioning as a strategic milestone in the company’s ongoing turnaround efforts. He explained that strengthening distribution capacity has been a major priority for Management, as logistics constraints had previously affected timely delivery and limited the company’s competitiveness in key markets.
According to the CEO, the new fleet will significantly improve delivery reliability, enhance trade visibility, and enable the company to respond more swiftly to customer demands across the country. He noted that improved mobility for sales and distribution teams would directly support revenue growth and deepen GIHOC’s presence in both established and emerging markets.
He assured the Minister and the Board that Management remains focused on operational discipline and performance measurement, stressing that the vehicles will be deployed strategically to maximize returns. The CEO added that the investment forms part of a broader modernization drive aimed at restoring GIHOC to sustain profitability and strengthening its contribution to national development.
In his remarks, Board Chairman Henry Annor Boakye-Yiadom described the commissioning as more than an operational exercise, calling it a “governance statement” that affirms GIHOC’s deliberate and disciplined strategic direction.
He explained that the Board’s role extends beyond oversight to enabling Management to build a resilient, competitive and profitable institution. According to him, sustainable profitability cannot be achieved without strengthening key pillars of the business, including distribution, market access, delivery reliability, trade presence and operational efficiency.
“These vehicles represent a practical step toward removing structural constraints that have historically limited GIHOC’s ability to compete effectively,” he said, stressing that the fleet must translate into expanded national reach, improved delivery timelines, enhanced customer satisfaction and ultimately stronger financial performance.
Mr. Boakye-Yiadom also underscored the Board’s commitment to fostering a performance-driven culture where investment is tied to productivity, assets to output, and strategy to measurable results. He reminded Management and Staff that assets alone do not create transformation, but rather people, systems and discipline.
As a state-owned commercial enterprise, he noted, GIHOC carries both economic and symbolic importance, and must evolve into a strong industrial brand and a reliable contributor to national revenue. He assured the Minister and stakeholders of the Board’s unwavering commitment to good governance, financial discipline and long-term sustainability, adding that the journey to restoring the company’s full strength is firmly underway.
