By Prince Acquah
Cape Coast, June 22, GNA – Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, has inaugurated the re-constituted Board of Directors of the Central Region Development Commission (CEDECOM) with a charge on them to prioritise investment in the private sector for accelerated development.
The seven-member board are, Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC); Odeefo Amoakwa Boadu VIII, President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs; Dr Nana Ato Arthur, Head of Service, Office of the Head of the Local Government Service; and Prof. Rosemond Boohene, Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Cape Coast (UCC).
The rest are Mr. Timothy Oman, Regional Development Planning Officer, Central Regional Coordinating Council; Mr. John Doku, Regional Trade Officer, Ministry of Trade & Industry; and Mrs. Nicole Ama Abraham, Ag. Executive Director, CEDECOM.
They were sworn in by Justice Kofi Diaba, a Judge of the High Court in Cape Coast at a brief ceremony on Thursday.
With a great wealth of experience in private sector development, international development partnership and finance, the board will steer the affairs of the Commission for the next four years.
Mrs Assan, inaugurating the members, urged them to embark on a vigorous investment promotion to promote major private economic ventures in the region.
She said there was adequate reserve of private investment capital from both domestic and foreign sources, but it was highly competitive between and within countries.
For the region to become more competitive to attract large scale private investment, she said there was the need to create an enabling environment.
“Perhaps one way of doing this, is for you, in close collaboration with all the District Assemblies, to come out with an investment code, especially to provide additional incentives to investors to reflect our region’s uniqueness.
“I charge you to examine this proposal in further detail and come out with appropriate recommendations for consideration by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).
The Regional Minister said there was the need to embark on an aggressive marketing strategy towards carefully mapped out segments to stimulate response for investment from the variety of sources.
“We should, for instance, aim at tapping the investment potentials of various occupational groups in the region,” she said.
She also charged CEDECOM to collaborate with other regions in areas of mutual interests if the Central Region were to succeed in its developmental efforts.
“Furthermore, it is my fervent prayer that you will join hands with management of the Council to complete our 2023 – 2030 Regional Development Strategy which is at its final stage in order to design a blueprint and strategies for our regional development agenda,” she added.
Mrs Assan expressed confidence in the board members to deliver their mandate to bring about this region’s economic advancement and transformation.
Dr Ato Arthur in remarks, said the ‘waste will no longer remain waste” and that all resources available should be harnessed to aid the development of the country.
Speaking on behalf of the board members, Odeefo Amoakwa Boadu thanked the RCC for reposing confidence in them and pledged to work in closely with all relevant partners to move the region forward.
“We are also counting all of you to help us succeed and maybe at the end of our term, we shall move our region a notch higher,” he assured.
CEDECOM is the business and investment wing of the Central Regional and a developmental agency of the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI) which exists to promote sustainable development of the region through partnership with the private sector.
Others are its Development Partners, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAS).
GNA