CHINESE URGED TO INVEST IN VOLTA REGION (PAGE 42, JAN 27, 2011)

THE President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, has called on the Chinese Government to invest in the region.
He said the Volta Basin is a treasure-trove of various important minerals and other natural resources including gold, diamonds, copper, lead, iron ore, oil and gas.
He said the region also had fertile agricultural lands, enormous potential for large-scale fish farming, large deposits of clay for brick and ceramics production, extensive salt deposits along the coast and the largest variety of tourist attractions.
Togbe Afede, who is the Agbogbomefia of Ho-Asogli made the call at a durbar in Ho at the weekend in honour of the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Gong Jianzhong.
He said chiefs in the region launched a five-year development plan last year to contribute towards the laying of appropriate socio-economic infrastructure to facilitate the development of the region.
“We would wish to urge your government and your people to take advantage of the favourable investment potential in the natural resource sector and improve infrastructure network to do business in the Volta Region,” Togbe Afede said.
The Agbogbomefia said Chinese support would be appreciated for the establishment of a university, the construction of an airport, the development of a sea port at Keta and the expansion of social and economic infrastructure, especially in the northern part of the region.
He advocated an increase in the importation of food items, horticultural produce, handicrafts, wood carvings and chocolate from Ghana in order to ensure a fair and balanced trade between the two countries.
Togbe Afede also expressed the hope that a sister relationship would be created between the Volta Region and a Chinese province to form a strong basis for a mutually beneficial collaboration.
The Deputy Volta Regional Minister, Colonel Cyril Necku (retd), re-echoed the enormous potential of the region, saying it was considered the microcosm of the nation
He said the diverse ecology made it possible for the cultivation of variety of crops, stressing that there were opportunities for tourism, hotels and restaurants, Volta Lake attractions, hard working resource base and surrounded by four international markets.
Col. Necku said there were opportunities for light and heavy industry in addition to deposits of oil on the land and the sea.
He commended Togbe Afede and Dumega Raymond Okudzeto for championing the development of the region.
The Chinese Ambassador, Mr Jianzhong, assured the gathering that more Chinese investors would arrive in the country and would act in accordance with declaration of the year of action, adding that bilateral relationship would be strengthened between the two countries.
Earlier in a welcoming address, the paramount chief of the Anfoega Traditional Area, Togbe Teprey Hodo, said the chiefs in the area were prepared to co-operate as mutual partners towards the achievement of the objectives of the Volta Region Development Agency.