President John Dramani Mahama has described Northshore Apparel as a major step towards restoring Northern Ghana to its former industrial glory.
Speaking at the opening of the Northshore Apparel facility at Savelugu in the Northern Region, President Mahama said the region once had a vibrant industrial base that provided jobs, supported local businesses and contributed significantly to economic activity.
He recalled that Northern Ghana previously had an integrated textile and agricultural value chain, with cotton farmers supplying raw materials to textile companies for processing into finished products for the local market.
The President also cited the existence of several processing plants, including shea butter factories, which provided employment opportunities for young people in the region.
However, he said inadequate power supply, weak value chains and poor transport infrastructure contributed to the gradual collapse of many industries in Northern Ghana.
“The glorious past of northern industry declined. Today I have a pleasant feeling in my heart because I believe that we’ve planted the first seed that will restore the north to its glorious industrial past and that’s what North Shore is just about doing,” President Mahama said.
According to him, conditions that previously discouraged investors from establishing businesses in the northern parts of the country are gradually being addressed.
He identified improved electricity supply, better road networks, reliable air transport, availability of land and the region’s potential for solar power as key advantages that could attract more investments.
President Mahama said the government would continue to support industrial projects capable of creating jobs for young people, strengthening local production and expanding Ghana’s export capacity.
He described Northshore Apparel as the anchor tenant of what is expected to develop into a major industrial hub in Northern Ghana.
President Mahama said the industrial hub, when fully developed, could employ at least 30,000 young people.
He expressed the hope that the project would create sustainable economic opportunities for young people in the north and help reduce the pressure that forces many of them to migrate to the southern parts of the country in search of employment.
The establishment of Northshore Apparel is therefore expected to contribute to the revival of Northern Ghana’s manufacturing sector while supporting the development of local value chains and promoting industrialisation in the region.
