Former MP demands details on the 150 investors for ‘1-district, 1-factory'

Former Member of Parliament for North Dayi Constituency, George Loh, is demanding that government provides details on the 150 local and foreign investors who have who have applied to establish factories under the one-district, one-factory policy initiative.

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, announced Monday said 150 investors have expressed interest in the initiative and have submitted business plans for the government’s consideration.

Commenting on the issue on TV3’s New Day on Tuesday hosted Mr. Loh said government is doing a disservice to the people of Ghana by not making information about the investors to the Ghanaians.

“Why is the government not making the information available to Ghanaians? What if all the 150 investors are going to produce pure water?” he wondered. “Information is not coming but we must have an input.

The locals, assembly members, stakeholders must be involved so that the project will be smooth” Mr Loh. Mr Loh said the government should adopt the system being used in the mining concessions in which public forum of the locals and stakeholders is held and information made available to the poeple.

“In mining concessions, when they are moving in they hold public hearing involving the locals and all stakeholders and the same thing must be apply to the establishment of the one-district-one-factory” he said.

Meanwhile, he said in establishing those factories, government should concentrate on manufacturing companies “because we must move away from Ghana being a dumping grounds”.

The Member of Parliament for Sekondi, Andrew Kofi Egyapa Mercer, said “It is useful that people have seen what the government wants to do and the locals are involved. If the locals need the information about the projects, they can get it from the ministry”.