‘Private sector must work with chiefs for economic growth’

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has advised the private sector to forge business working partnerships with traditional authorities towards fostering national prosperity.

In view of this, the Ashanti King asked the private sector to build synergies towards identifying appropriate investment opportunities to create jobs and wealth for the people.

Chieftaincy and the private sector, he said, must see development as a shared responsibility, which should motivate them to embark on joint viable ventures, projects, and programmes to raise the standard of living of the citizenry.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu gave the advice when he paid a working visit to the Prabon Greenfields, an eco-friendly gated community near Kumasi, to keep abreast of the progress of ongoing works there. He was accompanied by his wife, Lady Julia.

The Greenfields, an initiative of the Asantehene, would upon completion, provide residents with full and convenient access to contemporary amenities, such as schools, sporting facilities, recreational parks, community and commercial centre, walkways and nature reserve.

It is being developed by the Golden Kingdom Vital Limited (GKV), a joint venture of Asanteman and Vital Capital, while the construction works is being executed by Consar Limited.

A total of 500 housing units are expected to be constructed in the community. However, 50 of the facilities have been completed for sale.

It is the maiden comprehensive eco-friendly community to be constructed in the Ashanti Region with state-of-the-art facilities, thus setting the standards for a modern family setting.

The Asantehene stated that the Ghana Home Loans would be working with the GKV to provide mortgage arrangements for prospective buyers of the property.

He said the project had provided employment to about 300 local people with diverse professional backgrounds and asked the workers to be committed to duty.

Mr. Eytan Stibbe, a founding Member of the Vital Capital Fund, said the project was the first major investment by the Fund in the country, and expressed the hope that it would provide more comfortable accommodation for the people in an eco-friendly environment.