Story by, Paul Mensah Nsor
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has called on Ghana to institutionalize the Japanese philosophy of _Kaizen_ as a national development strategy to boost productivity, strengthen public sector performance, and support the government’s 24-Hour Economy agenda.
Speaking at the High-Level Awareness Seminar “Kaizen for Ghana: Unlocking National Productivity, Business Growth & Public Sector Excellence” held at the Accra City Hotel, JICA Chief Representative Mr. Uchiyama Takayuki said Ghana stood at a critical point where mindset change was as vital as infrastructure and policy reforms.
“Today’s gathering is both timely and strategic. It reflects our collective commitment to building a more productive, efficient, and value-driven Ghana,” Uchiyama said.
The seminar brought together the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, representatives of UNIDO, the 24-Hour Economy Authority, CEOs, heads of public and private institutions, development partners, and the media.
Uchiyama explained that Japan’s post-war transformation was driven by _Kaizen_—continuous improvement through small, practical, and consistent actions—anchored in discipline, efficiency, teamwork, and accountability.
He cited Ethiopia as an African example, where high-level political commitment led to the establishment of the Ethiopia Kaizen Excellence Centre and the mainstreaming of _Kaizen_ across industries, public institutions, and technical education.
“Ghana today stands at a critical point in its development journey,” he said. Citing Ghana Statistical Service data, he noted that labour productivity rose by 3.06% in 2024, an improvement from the previous year but still below the long-term average of 6.06% from 1992 to 2024.
“Structural inefficiencies, bureaucratic delays, weak workplace systems, skills mismatch, and value deficits continue to affect productivity and service delivery across sectors,” he said. “Sustainable transformation requires a national mindset shift.”
Alignment with Ghana’s RESET and 24-Hour Economy Agendas
Uchiyama argued that _Kaizen_ should move beyond isolated projects to become a national development philosophy, complementing the government’s RESET Agenda and the 24-Hour Economy initiative under the ASPIRE framework.
“A productive economy requires productive institutions, productive systems, and productive people,” he said.
Institutionalizing _Kaizen_ nationally, he said, would promote efficiency and accountability in public institutions, improve competitiveness of SMEs, strengthen service delivery, build a stronger work ethic, and create a culture of continuous improvement across generations.
The JICA Chief Representative pledged continued support through partnerships with government institutions, training centres, industries, and development partners. He noted that as Ghana and Japan prepare to mark 70 years of diplomatic relations in 2027, cooperation on innovation, institutional transformation, and sustainable development would deepen.
“In Japan, we have a saying: ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.’ We also say, ‘Continuity is power.’ Together, these express the essence of _Kaizen_—that meaningful transformation begins with small actions, and lasting impact is created through continuous effort by people,” Uchiyama said.
The seminar was organized in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, UNIDO, and the Ethiopia Kaizen Excellence Centre. JICA expressed appreciation to Chief of Staff Julius Debrah for his presence and leadership in advancing Ghana’s national transformation agenda.
Uchiyama urged participants to actively reflect on how _Kaizen_ could be integrated within their institutions. “Together, let us work toward building a national culture of continuous improvement that drives Ghana’s development transformation for generations to come,” he said.
