President John Dramani Mahama has called for a training programme to equip residents of Afienya and surrounding communities with the skills needed to benefit from employment opportunities at the planned Afienya Industrial Park.
He said local people must remain central to the development of the industrial enclave and be prepared to take up jobs that will be created when businesses begin operations.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of the Afienya Industrial Park, President Mahama said investors establishing businesses in the area should be supported by a workforce with the necessary skills.
“I believe that if enterprises are located here, there should be a programme that trains the local people so that they can get some of the jobs created in this industrial park,” he said.
The President said the project was intended to attract investment, expand manufacturing and create productive employment as Ghana works towards becoming a manufacturing and logistics hub for the West African sub-region.
The 1,238-acre industrial park is planned to accommodate more than 120 enterprises, with investment opportunities in sectors including cocoa processing, textiles and garments, pharmaceuticals, automotive components and assembly, and light engineering.
President Mahama also stressed the need to ensure that the benefits of the development extend beyond the industrial park itself.
He said farmers, transport operators, local suppliers and small businesses should be given opportunities to participate in the supply chains serving companies operating in the enclave.
According to him, the project’s significance for Afienya and surrounding communities would be measured by the employment opportunities it creates and the benefits residents derive from its development.
The President said the government would support the provision of essential infrastructure at the park through its $10 billion New Economy Programme, which is expected to invest $2 billion annually over four years in productive sectors of the economy.
He added that the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, working with the Ghana Free Zones Authority and private investors, would lead efforts to attract businesses capable of establishing viable enterprises at the park.
President Mahama said the ultimate measure of the project’s success would be businesses operating, Ghanaians securing employment and locally manufactured products reaching wider African markets.
