Volta’s China partnerships must deliver
The decision by the Volta Regional House of Chiefs (VRHC) to look beyond Ghana’s shores for partnerships to accelerate development is both timely and encouraging.
During a one-week business visit to China, an eight-member delegation of the House signed three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Chinese companies covering technology, construction and investment.
The agreements with Guangdong Welleap Information Technology Company, Foshan Jinting Construction Engineering Company Limited and SINOHUI Investment Ghana Limited are intended to promote technology transfer, infrastructure and industrial development, and attract Chinese direct investment into the Volta Region and Ghana.
For a region with considerable economic potential, this is an opportunity that must be taken seriously.
But there is an important distinction that must not be lost in the excitement surrounding the agreements: an MoU is not an investment.
It is a commitment to explore cooperation. The real test will come when those commitments are translated into projects, businesses, jobs, technology, infrastructure and increased economic activity.
That is where the Volta Region must focus its attention now.
The partnership with the technology company, for instance, should go beyond discussions about digital transformation.
It should result in practical technology transfer, training for young people, digital infrastructure and opportunities for local businesses to participate in the digital economy.
Similarly, the construction agreement should ultimately be reflected in infrastructure and industrial projects that respond to the development needs of the region.
The investment agreement should bring actual capital into productive sectors rather than remain another document filed away after a signing ceremony.
The Ghanaian Times therefore welcomes the initiative by the traditional authorities to actively court investment.
Chiefs have an important role to play in creating an environment in which investors can engage with communities, understand local opportunities and build confidence.
However, attracting investors is only one part of the job.
The regional authorities, the private sector, traditional leaders and relevant government agencies must work together to ensure that investors find the necessary conditions to operate.
Land, infrastructure, reliable electricity, digital connectivity, skills, security, regulatory certainty and efficient public institutions will all matter.
The Volta Region must also be clear about what it wants from these partnerships. Investment should create value locally.
Where technology is introduced, Ghanaians should acquire the skills to use, maintain and eventually improve it. Where factories and businesses are established, local suppliers and workers should have meaningful opportunities.
There must also be proper monitoring of the agreements. The public deserves to know what commitments have been made, what projects are being developed, how much investment is involved, the expected number of jobs and the timelines for implementation.
This is particularly important because Ghana has seen many agreements signed over the years without corresponding projects reaching completion.
The Volta Region should not allow these latest agreements to follow that familiar path.
The House of Chiefs should therefore work closely with the Volta Regional Coordinating Council, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, investment agencies and the private sector to develop a clear implementation framework for the three MoUs.
The government, for its part, should provide the necessary institutional support while allowing the traditional authorities and private investors to do what they do best.
The Ghanaian Times considers the China engagement a promising beginning. But the celebration should be measured by what eventually happens on the ground.
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