There are four main economic activities in the Municipality which are commerce, agriculture, service and industry. Most industries in Kwahu West Municipal can be classified under small and medium scale industries, ie Industries that have a total workforce of up to 30 persons each.

The industrial activities in this district are diversified, ranging from sawmill where high technology equipment are used to handicrafts and other craftworks which are produced using simple tools. Statistics on the exact number of these industries are sketchy, by! can be grouped into the following.

1)    Household Industries
2)    Handicrafts / Traditional Crafts
3)    Modern Crafts

Small / Medium Scale Manufacturing

Household Industries

These are manufacturing activities carried out in or near the home. In this industry, family labour is used with the objective of providing basic needs, and augmenting the family income. The production methods are labour intensive, and there is no division of labour. Included in this category of industries are palm and kernel oil extraction, cassava processing and basket weaving industry.

Palm oil production and cassava processing are the most organized household industries in the municipality. Some producers have formed co-operatives and some private individuals have acquired extraction plants, and individual oil extractors sent their palm fruits and kernel to be extracted for a fee. 

These industries are spread district wide. Most settlements have either cassava processing or palm/kernel oil extracting industry or both. While these industries are boosting the economic wealth , their environmental aspect should be looked at carefully so as to ensure proper disposal of their waste.

Handicrafts

Handicrafts are produced by craftsmen who normally work alone with a few apprentices without much division of labour. Traditional tools and implements are used with little modernization. Activities here include gold/silver smith, blacksmith, wood carves and pottery. These industries are mostly located in the district capital. However a few of the pottery industries are located at Kwamang and Nkawanda No. 2.

Modem craft

This is a workshop activity. Car repairing, radio and television technicians, auto mechanics, electrical / gas4.velders, and wood working shops. These workshops are scattered all over the municipality.Some of these operators are not registered and operate in their houses and in front of houses; most of these workshops are located along the trunk roads.

Small / Medium Scale Manufacturing

This category of industries is capital intensive, with each industry employing between 5 and 30 people. These industries use modern production methods and produce both traditional and modern products. These industries include the following.
1)    Food processing
2)    Distilling and blending alcohol
3)    Sawmill
4)    Furniture and fixtures

The sitting of these small-scale industries do not conform to the present spatial classification . Most of these industries are located in residential areas and other areas not earmarked for industries, and they produce such nuisances as noise, dust, fumes, unpleasant odour in the communities where they are located. 

In addition to the environmental nuisances that these industries generate, they are known to have adverse effect on services such as water and electricity ie. There is general over load on various energy transformers that feed the various sections of the district. In view of this, light industrial estates are proposed for the urban settlements. The purpose of these estates, among others is to:

• Bring about sanity in the use of land in the communities.

•  Bring about efficiency in the use of infrastructure such as electricity and water.

• Reduce constructional; and service costs.
• Minimize environmental degradation and pollution.
• Bring about an effective identification and collection of related taxes.
• Promote a forward and backward linkage between various levels of industries and services.

Promote/create employment opportunities for the youth who have hitherto been drifting to the cities. A considerable number of small-industrialists also train people in apprenticeship. The increasing number of school leavers, are engaged as apprentices in various vocations in the informal sector. Carpentry, carving, dressmaking and hair dressing are the main vocations. A few are also engaged in radio and auto-mechanics.