The New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Government will partner with all well-intended private business men and women for the economic and social transformation of Ghana, President, Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated.
He said the rationale for the policy of One-District-One-Factory, (1D1F) was to encourage and support the private sector to play its expected role in the establishment of businesses and ventures aimed at creating jobs, improving the wellbeing of the people and eventually reducing poverty.
The President made the assertion at Sedorm-Yiti in the Asuogyaman District where he inaugurated the Kete-Krachi Timber Recovery Limited as the 1D1F for the District during his tour of the Eastern Region.
He said the 1D1F programme is not a hoax and that the inauguration of the KKTR was a clear example of the fact that the programme was on course and that all Districts in Ghana will have their share in good time.
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten commended the brains behind the KKTR and said the salvaging of the dead timber from the Lake Volta was of vital importance to the nation as it served as a foreign exchange earner to the state, adding to the transport infrastructure of the country by clearing stumps from the lake as well as providing employment for the people in the community and elsewhere.
He said Government has provided a number of incentives to encourage the private sector to come on board the 1D1F including tax waivers, exemptions and provision of infrastructure and other amenities.
The Awamuhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto expressed the gratitude of the traditional authority and the people of Akwamu and Asusogyaman for the establishment of the Volta Lake timber salvage company in the area which is already supporting the communities in many ways in addition to its national economic importance.
The Co-founder and Chief Executive of KKTR, Elkin Pianim said KKTR was the largest wholly- owned Ghanaian natural resource company with the appropriate and exquisite machinery for the safe and fast removal of the tree stumps from the Lake Volta.
He said the concession for the project granted by Government in 2006 and ratified by Parliament in 2010 permitted the company to salvage 14 cubic metres of recoverable timber with the potential to double Ghana’s timber export without cutting a single living tree but that it was only in September this year (2018) that KKTR made its maiden export of sawed timber.
Mr. Pianim, on behalf of Management and staff expressed the company’s appreciation to the President of Ghana and his Government for the support and the inauguration.
Story filed by Kweku Sersah Johnson
