The construction of a €10.2m garment factory began here in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region after sod cutting on Wednesday.
It is intended to produce for both the local and the international markets.
Messrs MUSOF Enterprise Ghana Limited, an indigenous construction company, is leading the construction of the factory with international consultants.
The facility will have over 5,000 square metres of sewing production area; 4,000 square metres of cutting and design building; and 8,000 square metres of raw materials warehouse and export processing facility.
The project is being supported with a grant from the Facility Investing for Employment (IFE), an investment Facility created by KfW Development Bank (KfW) on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Agricultural Development Bank Plc, providing additional financial support for the project.
The Managing Director of IFE Mr Steffen Kuhl, said, “We are glad to see that this KfW instrument is received very well in the market. Germany is currently supporting eight (8) projects in Ghana with a total volume of approximately 55 million EUR, including an overall grant contribution of approximately 19 million EUR, in sectors ranging from energy, agribusiness, consumer goods (production of wooden handicraft (musical instruments among the others) exported for the benefit of the hospitality sector in Europe and US), textile, electrical engineering to services, supporting economic zones.”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited, Nurideen Mohammed, said the factory would have ancillary amenities such as workers’ changing rooms, canteen facilities, creche for workers who are nursing, and an in-house clinic staffed with a full-time nurse and visiting doctor.
Mr Mohammed added that their commitment to Sustainable Development Goal 10 inclusivity and empowerment was exemplified by their pledge to provide guaranteed employment opportunities for students from the Savelugu School for the Deaf through the cooperative agreement between Northshore Apparel Ghana and the School.
“To harness renewable energy sources, Northshore Apparel will instal a 500kWp of solar power as proactive steps toward reducing our carbon footprint and promoting eco-friendly practices in our operations,” Mr Nurideen stated.
The choice of location is to optimise for both the social impact of the project and also closer to the West African market. Additionally, the project seeks to integrate fully into the cotton value chain within Ghana and the West Africa sub-region, making the location an optimal one.
The Paramount Chief of Yoo Traditional Area, Yoo Naa Andani Yakubu Abdulai, said the construction of the factory would transform the economic landscape of the region and create opportunities for the youth, saying by offering the youth the chance to acquire valuable skills and to secure decent-wage employment right in their own communities and providing them alternative livelihood options was laudable.
The event was chaired by Naa Pishigu Lana Alhassan Andani, and was graced by the Managing Director of Agriculture Development Bank, Alhaji Alhassan Yakubu-Tali, the former Minister of Trade, as well as Employment – Haruna Iddrisu, Savelugu Municipal Chief Executive – Hajia Ayishetu Seidu, Member of Parliament for Savelugu, Alessia Alvisini, IFE Country Manager for Ghana and Rwanda, Francis Attah Adjah, IFE – Country Focal Person – Adwoa Kwarteng Larbi.
FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, SAVELUGU