Lukman Nuhu Mohammed
The Ashanti Regional executives of the Ghana National Association of Garages (GNAG) and their counterparts at the Atwima Nwabiagya District are in talks with the current Akufo-Addo administration to set up a factory in the area under the government’s one District one Factory policy.
The factory, which would be built at Atwima Mim in the Atwima Nwabiagya District on a 25-acre land acquired by GNAG, would mainly manufacture arc welding electrodes, rods, car springs and U-clamps using local materials to serve the local market.
Regional GNAG executives have officially applied to partner government for the establishment of the facility in the district to create jobs for the teeming unemployed artisans and the youth to bring development to the impoverished area.
Lukman Nuhu Mohammed, Ashanti Regional Vice-Chairman of the association, told DAILY GUIDE that local manufacture of the aforementioned items was started about three years ago in the district by some GNAG members.
He said the locally-manufactured products were in high demand owing to their durability and cost-effectiveness, but production in commercial quantities could not be made because of the lack of funding.
Several stakeholders, including the traditional rulers and the Atwima Nwabiagya District Assembly, are said to have played various roles in the acquisition of the land for the project.
The Regional GNAG Vice Chairman appealed to the government to expedite action on the establishment of the factory through the partnership.
Currently, raw materials and the human resources are available for the start of the factory.
FROM James Quansah, Kumasi