Tema, April 14, GNA – The Centre for Greater Impact Africa (CGIA) is partnering with the Volta/Oti Region House of Chiefs to facilitate the commercialization and industrialization of the Volta and Oti Regions.
The Reverend Dr Samuel Worlanyo Mensah, CGIA Executive Director stated at a forum organized by the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office on investment and financial empowerment.
The forum which was on the topic: “Potential of the Volta and Oti Regions: Investment drives,” said the Centre and the House of Chiefs led by its President, Togbe Tepre Hodo, are exploring opportunities to attract both local and foreign investors to the region.
“Through our collective efforts, we have identified pharmaceuticals, agro-processing, petrochemicals, and tourism, as some of the areas to boost the industrialization and commercialization of the two regions,” Rev. Dr Mensah stated.
Rev. Dr Mensah, who is also an economist said a research conducted by the centre in collaboration with the traditional rulers also showed that the regions had potential in soap manufacturing, fertilizers, lubricants, and aviation.
As well as the production of plywood and nails due to the availability of timber and scraps respectively in the area.
“We are championing that the Ho Airport should be developed and projected to serve as an entry point we have looked at the potentials and how best to be able to capitalize on it to achieve its full benefits to the economy,” he said.
He also added that they discovered that the two regions have a lot of tourist sites that needed to be developed as the tourism destination for West Africa and beyond.
According to the CGIA, several investors from both within and outside Ghana had already been engaged to come and invest in the various sectors of the regions as part of the deliberate initiative to lift the economies of the areas.
On the issue of the availability of lands for the said investments, the Executive Director of the CGIA said all that had been discussed and families having the trust of lands in the areas had agreed with the House of Chiefs to reserve and release some for such developments to create jobs for the entire population of the regions.
He gave the assurance that the commercialization and industrial drive for the Volta area would not be affected by a change in government as it was purely a self-help private project by the traditional leaders and the Centre to ensure the development of the area.
Rev Dr Mensah called on other regions to come up with similar plans to uncover their developmental potentials and subsequently engage and attract investors into their areas.
Mr. Francis Ameyibor, GNA Tema Regional Manager explained “Chiefs and queen mothers must use their position of royalty and authority to champion development agenda for their subjects.
“Each traditional area must undertake a re-evaluation of its potential – customs, norms, festivals, resources both human and natural and develop a communication strategy to market it to the international world,” Mr Ameyibor noted.
GNA