The Western Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC) has re-launched the Western Region Investment and Business Centre with a renewed mandate to coordinate investment promotion, drive innovation, and create jobs to ensure the region benefits directly from its abundant natural resources.
The initiative, according to the Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, marks a shift from years of lamentation over the region’s underdevelopment to decisive collective action.
“We have lamented for far too long. Now is the time to take the bull by the horns, take control of our own destiny and ensure the Western Region finally receives the attention and benefits our people rightfully deserve,” Mr. Nelson said at the launch.
He emphasised that the region, despite being a key contributor to Ghana’s economy through cocoa, gold and oil has not seen a proportionate share of the national wealth it generates.
With a population of over two million, which represents about 6.7 percent of Ghana’s total population, the minister said the Western Region must unite its stakeholders to attract investors, strengthen local businesses and maximize the impact of its resources.
To steer the new centre, a 15 Member board has been constituted, drawing from key sectors including agriculture, tourism, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, the Free Zones Authority and traditional authorities.
The President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Nana Kobina Nketsia V, who chairs the board, underscored the importance of local participation in the region’s economic transformation.
“We must find a way to participate in the utilization of the resources God has naturally endowed us with.
“This centre is the vehicle through which we will uplift our people and ensure they are an integral part of every investment in the region,” Mr. Nelson said at the launch.
He added that ensuring local involvement in investment projects would not only boost investor confidence, but also guarantee that profits generated from the region’s wealth translate into tangible benefits for its residents.
“No investor comes here for charity; every investor comes for profit and we must be part of that profit-making,” Nana Nketsia stated.
The re-launch of the Western Region Investment and Business Centre signals a renewed determination by the regional authorities to transform the region from a resource-rich but underdeveloped area into a competitive hub for investment and sustainable growth.
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