President Mahama commissions multimillion dollar garment factory in Savelugu; urges Investors to tap into Northern Ghana’s Economic Potential
President John Dramani Mahama has urged local and international investors to consider investing in northern Ghana to accelerate economic development, create jobs and improve livelihoods. He said the northern part of the country had historically played an important role in Ghana’s industrial growth and had the potential to reclaim its position as a major industrial hub.
President Mahama made the call at the commissioning of the multimillion-dollar Northshore Apparel factory in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region.
He cited the region’s peace and stability, safety and security, availability of affordable labour, and abundant land without ownership disputes as some of the factors that make northern Ghana attractive to investors. “I believe we have planted a tree that will bring back the glory of the North to reality,” President Mahama said.
He said the region also had reliable power supply to support industrial activities, adding that the government was working to improve access to water for both residents and industries. According to him, under a European Union-supported facility, the government is working to add about 40 million gallons of water to the supply system serving Tamale and surrounding communities.
President Mahama further said the cost of labour in northern Ghana was comparatively lower than in the southern part of the country and urged captains of industry to take advantage of the opportunity to establish businesses in the region.
He explained that one of the recommendations of the African Peer Review Mechanism was the need to bridge the development gap between northern and southern Ghana.
Government to promote local production
Responding to an appeal by the Chief Executive Officer of Northshore Apparel for government support for local production, President Mahama reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring that uniforms, boots and protective equipment for public institutions are produced locally.
He commended the management of Northshore for investing in the region and assured the company of government’s continued support. President Mahama disclosed that Northshore would benefit from the Free Zones regime, including tax incentives, duty exemptions and other support measures to reduce the cost of production.
He also announced that the government would soon present a net-metering bill to Parliament for ratification to enable companies to have a fair billing system from either the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) or the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The President further disclosed that the Export-Import Bank of Ghana (GEXIM) was supporting Northshore with almost 12 million US dollars to strengthen its operations.
President Mahama appealed to the Paramount Chief of the Savelugu Traditional Area, Naa Bakpem Yoo Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani, to make additional land available to investors who are prepared to establish businesses and create employment opportunities in the area.
He said government would continue to provide the necessary support to businesses to promote local production, industrialization and job creation. President Mahama also assured that the government would work to ensure that security commanders in the country are provided with uniforms manufactured locally, as part of efforts to promote the “Made-in-Ghana” agenda.
