Volta Region Too Endowed to Remain Underrepresented in Ghana’s Investment Landscape – Climate Change Minister

 

The Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Hon. Seidu Issifu, has called for a decisive shift in Ghana’s investment priorities to reflect the immense potential of the Volta Region. He emphasized that “the Volta Region is too endowed to remain underrepresented in Ghana’s investment landscape.”

Speaking on behalf of the Chief of Staff, Hon. Julius Debrah, who served as Guest of Honour at the 2025 Volta Regional Investment Roadshow in Ho, Hon. Issifu urged policymakers, investors, and community leaders to collaborate in unlocking the region’s rich opportunities and driving inclusive development.

He noted that despite its vast agricultural resources, skilled workforce, and strategic location, the Volta Region has historically received limited investment attention. Data from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) shows that between 1994 and September 2005, the region attracted only $132 million in investments—a small fraction of national inflows during the same period.

“This is a reminder that the region has yet to receive the scale of investment attention it deserves,” Hon. Issifu stated. “It is our time now — the time for the Volta Region — and the time for decision-makers to focus on these unique opportunities to catalyse development and bring prosperity to our people.”

He stressed the need for deliberate efforts to attract both domestic and foreign investors. By harnessing the region’s fertile lands, renewable energy potential, and entrepreneurial capacity, Hon. Issifu said the Volta Region could become a hub for agro-processing, export growth, and value-chain expansion — creating sustainable jobs for young people.

“I have seen confidence in local enterprise,” he added. “If we align this with the national vision for sustainable industrialisation and shared prosperity, the Volta Region can become the heart of Ghana’s next growth story.”

Hon. Issifu explained that the investment roadshow forms part of broader efforts to anchor President John Dramani Mahama’s economic agenda in district-level opportunities that can transform livelihoods.

“This roadshow is a declaration that Ghana’s economic transformation will no longer be confined to a few selected cities but will reach every corner of our nation,” he said.

Launch of the Investment Opportunity Mapping Project

The Minister announced the launch of the Investment Opportunity Mapping Project (IOMP) — a major government initiative aimed at systematically identifying and documenting viable investment prospects across all 261 districts in Ghana.

He said the project will provide investors with a clear and coordinated framework to identify genuine opportunities and develop them for national benefit.

“When I came in this morning, I told the GIPC Chief Executive that we must scale up this initiative to cover all regions,” he revealed. “It provides the structure we need to translate local potential into tangible projects. This is how we unlock investment for every corner of Ghana.”

Emphasizing Climate Resilience

Hon. Issifu underscored the importance of integrating climate resilience into all investment projects, emphasizing that sustainability is now central to accessing international funding.

“There must be a climate dimension to every opportunity,” he said. “That is how we attract financing and ensure our projects endure for generations.”

He also encouraged regional and district leaders to show initiative and creativity in supporting the government’s investment agenda.

“The development of our country depends not only on government but on leaders who take initiative — leaders who think outside the box,” he stated. “We must fight for the next generation by directing investment flows into our regions.”

Advancing the Volta Economic Corridor Project

The Minister further revealed that under the leadership of President Mahama, the government is advancing the Volta Economic Corridor Project — a flagship initiative designed to position the Volta Region as a key hub for industrial and export-driven growth.

“The Volta Economic Corridor will anchor agro-industrial parks, renewable energy projects, logistics hubs, and inland transport systems that empower communities and strengthen markets along its route,” Hon. Issifu explained. “It will open up the region and connect its potential to major opportunities — from factories to mechanised farms and enterprises that create jobs and sustain livelihoods.”

He urged Ghanaian investors, entrepreneurs, and small- and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) to take advantage of emerging opportunities.

“While we welcome international investors, we must also look within,” he said. “Ghanaian businesses must lead this new chapter of growth for the Volta Region and beyond.”

Hon. Issifu commended the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority for organizing the regional investment roadshow, describing it as a significant milestone that demonstrates the nation’s commitment to bringing investment closer to local communities.

He concluded by reaffirming the government’s commitment to promoting regional equity and sustainable growth.

“We are here to unlock the potential of the Volta Region and position it as an engine of inclusive prosperity,” he said. “Our people deserve the opportunity to thrive, and our government remains determined to make that happen.”

Source: modernghana