President John Dramani Mahama has projected that the development of the Northshore Apparel industrial hub at Savelugu in the Northern Region could create at least 30,000 jobs for young people and help restore the region’s industrial fortunes.
According to President Mahama, Northshore Apparel represents the beginning of a broader effort to revive Northern Ghana’s once-vibrant industrial sector and create sustainable economic opportunities for the region’s youth.
Speaking at the opening of Northshore Apparel, President Mahama recalled that Northern Ghana previously had several industries that provided employment, supported local businesses and contributed significantly to economic activity.
He noted that the region once operated 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 recalled the existence of processing plants, including those producing shea butter, which provided employment opportunities for young people.
However, he said inadequate electricity supply, weak value chains and poor transport infrastructure contributed to the gradual decline of industries in the northern parts of the country.
“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,” he said.
President Mahama said the government was working to address some of the challenges that previously discouraged investors from establishing businesses in Northern Ghana.
He cited improvements in electricity supply, road networks and air transport, as well as the availability of land and the region’s potential for solar power, as factors that could make Northern Ghana more attractive to investors.
He said the government would continue to support industrial projects that create jobs, strengthen local production and expand Ghana’s export capacity.
President Mahama described Northshore Apparel as the anchor tenant of what is expected to become a major industrial hub in Northern Ghana.
He expressed optimism that the full development of the hub would generate at least 30,000 jobs, particularly for young people, while creating new opportunities across the region.
According to him, the expansion of industrial activities in the north would also help reduce the pressure that drives young people to migrate to the southern parts of the country in search of employment.
The President said the Northshore project therefore formed part of a broader vision to rebuild the industrial base of Northern Ghana, strengthen local value chains and position the region as an important centre for manufacturing and economic growth.
