Support local investors to grow – Nduom tells gov’t

The 2012 flag bearer of the Progressive People Party (PPP) Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, on Monday called for a collaborative support between Government and local investors to help create job avenues and boost the economy of Ghana.

He said the creation of more job avenues in the country will help reduce poverty which he noted was one of the major challenges facing the country. Dr Nduom made the call when he inaugurated the “Group Nduom (GN) Quarry and Concrete Products” at Kpeshie near Ataabadze in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality.

He noted that local investors were equally good and in some cases better than some foreign ones and stressed the need for the government to support such local investors to grow.

“If we learn to invest in our country, we will set the pace for the next generation to follow “he noted and called for all hands to be on deck for the nation’s development and stressed the need to depoliticize development projects in the country.

Mr Eric Asare, Investment Risk Manager of Ghana Growth Fund, a private entity of Group Nduom said the company had sought and received the appropriate licenses from both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission and that the quarry operations would meet the strictest safety and environmental standards.

He said GN Quarry and Concrete Products will be socially responsible and proactive in its responses to social and environmental needs of the community and that the company would also provide health and education facilities for the staff and nearby communities as part of its corporate social responsibility.

Mr Collins Dauda, Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, in a speech read on his behalf was unhappy that some quarries in the country produced chippings which did not meet the standards and advised that the required sizes of 10-14 mm should be used .

He commended the Nduom Group for its efforts in creating jobs in the country and prayed that other local investors would emulate the group by creating jobs avenues which reduced the unemployment rates in the country.

Alhaji Iddrisu Yaldzia, the Quarry Manager said the three “Metso crushing Plant” supplied by Pan African Ghana Limited is worth 3.5million dollars and has the capacity to process 150 tonnes of chippings in an hour.

Nana Amai Eduabo, Chief of Kpeshie commended Dr Nduom and his team for establishing the quarry in the area which he noted would create job opportunities in the community and urged other investors to come to the aid of the community.