Tema NDC grassroots hail Mahama for securing strategic partner for VALCO

The Tema branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has commended President John Dramani Mahama for securing a strategic partner for the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) within his first year in office, describing the move as a major boost to industrial revival and youth employment.

In a statement signed by Godwin Adjei, Spokesman for the NDC Tema Grassroots, the group said the development marks a turning point for the once-thriving aluminium smelter, which had struggled for years amid what it described as unfulfilled promises under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.

“For many years, the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), the pride of our industrial city, languished in uncertainty,” the statement noted, adding that despite “eight years of promises from the previous NPP administration to find a ‘strategic investor,’ the facility remained in a state of decline.”

According to the group, President Mahama’s achievement within a year demonstrates decisive leadership and effective economic diplomacy.

“In a remarkable display of leadership and economic diplomacy, President Mahama has achieved in just one year what the previous administration could not achieve in nearly a decade,” the statement said.

“By securing a credible strategic partner for VALCO, the President has moved beyond rhetoric to deliver a concrete victory for Ghana’s industrial sector,” it added.

The group also expressed optimism about the future of the company and its impact on local livelihoods.

“We have watched VALCO struggle for far too long. Previous management assured the youth of expansion, yet nothing changed. Today, there is hope. Prosperity is returning to Tema, and the dream of a revived industrial hub is finally a reality,” the spokesperson said.

The group believes the partnership will serve as a foundation for President Mahama’s proposed 24-hour economy, with the potential to significantly boost employment.

They highlighted what they described as the “One Job, Three Shifts” model, which they say will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs for young people, expand industrial production, and strengthen the local economy.

“The revival of VALCO will transition the plant into a multi-shift operation, leading to massive employment, industrial expansion, and economic stability,” the group said, referencing what it described as recent improvements in broader economic indicators.

Calling for unity, the Tema NDC grassroots described the development as a national victory and urged party members and Ghanaians to rally behind the initiative.

“We believe that anyone who opposes this development or seeks to undermine this achievement is an enemy of progress and an enemy of the party’s mission to rebuild Ghana,” the statement stressed.

They concluded by praising the President’s commitment to ordinary Ghanaians.

“We salute the President for his vision and his commitment to the ordinary people of Tema. The era of empty promises is over; the era of industrial action and prosperity is here,” the statement concluded.