“We can’t understand why the government and the 1D1F coordinating unit have abandoned the Volta region, although the industry potentials in the region are huge”, says Mr Elikem Agbenyega, Coordinator for Citizen Watch Ghana.

According to Mr Agbenyega, the construction of a sweet potato factory in Tsito has been halted for sometime now, even as there is huge sweet potato cultivation underway.

He said the region prides itself with commodities such as avocado, cocoa, ginger, lemon grass and cassava but has been exempted from the “national cake”, adding that it is critical that the Volta region be the next focus as it equally has growth potentials like the other regions.

According to Mr Agbenyega, the government must provide credit support for the private sector through the Exim Bank Ghana or direct credit from the government through the Ministry of Finance for the construction of these factories in the region. This, he said, would create jobs for the youths and out-growers in the region.

He expressed the need for the government to provide subsidy under the 1D1F program so the businesses become more competitive on both local and international markets.

He also called on the government to do the needful by constructing road networks in the Districts which would lead to these factories.

Citizen Watch Ghana recalled 18 factories it said have been accredited so far, and said there is promise of an additional 50 expected to be accredited bring to almost 70, the 1D1F projects.

Ihe think tank said government has indicated that there will be a pineapple processing factory in the Ekumfi District, a pineapple and orange processing factory in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) municipality, a cassava starch processing factory in the Fanteakwa District. There would also be a cashew processing factory in Tema, a fruit processing factory in the West Akim District, a shea butter processing factory in the Accra metropolis, an avocado processing factory in Ningo-Prampram and the cultivation and processing of sweet potato into bread, chips and biscuit in Gomoa West.

It said in the manufacturing and distribution of pharmaceuticals, three factories have been earmarked for the Nsawam-Adoagyiri municipality, the Accra metropolis and the Suhum District.

There will also be an agricultural inputs manufacturing plant in the Tema metropolis, garment factory in Accra and a brick and tile production factory at Tanoso in the Brong Ahafo Region.