John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has pledged to establish a cocoa processing facility in Kukuom, located in the Asunafo South District of the Ahafo Region. This promise was made during a campaign stop, where Mahama reiterated his focus on reducing youth unemployment and boosting regional development.
As part of his broader economic transformation plan, Mahama highlighted his industrialisation agenda, which includes building the cocoa processing plant. This initiative is closely tied to his vision for a 24-hour economy, a policy aimed at ensuring continuous business operations to drive productivity and create more jobs.
Mahama’s 24-hour economy concept envisions a dynamic economy where businesses, industries, and services run around the clock. By doing so, it aims to enhance productivity, improve access to goods and services, and significantly reduce youth unemployment. The policy targets sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, processing, and services, ensuring that the growing population has access to more job opportunities through expanded shifts.
The proposed cocoa processing facility, Mahama stated, is a key part of his strategy to establish industrial hubs across the country, especially in areas with strong agricultural potential. This aligns with his goal of adding value to Ghana’s raw materials and reducing the export of unprocessed products.
“I was very happy with the chief’s submission because of his understanding of our 24-hour economy policy. We have realised that, to successfully implement the policy, we need to embark on a massive industrialisation drive, and as part of that, we will construct a cocoa processing facility for the Kukuom community,” Mahama explained.
He further emphasized the benefits of processing cocoa locally, saying, “This will discontinue the exportation of cocoa for processing,” highlighting the importance of value addition to the country’s economy.
Source:dailymailgh.com