Was Northshore Apparel Really a 1D1F Factory? Manasseh Azure Awuni Presents the Facts

Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has presented what he calls the factual account regarding the establishment of Northshore Apparel GH, focusing on the level of government involvement and the claim that the project fell under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative.

In a Facebook post, Awuni stated that details from the project’s promoters revealed the idea was initially submitted to the then New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration through the 1D1F Secretariat in 2022, seeking support via the Ministry of Trade. He noted that while the proposal was acknowledged, Northshore Apparel ultimately did not receive any funding through the 1D1F programme.

He further clarified that although the 1D1F initiative offered participating businesses concessionary lending arrangements with commercial banks, Northshore Apparel was not a beneficiary of such provisions.

According to Awuni, the project—officially launched in 2024—was bankrolled through a mix of sources, including a grant from Investing for Employment (a KfW facility backed by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation), a commercial loan from ADB PLC, and equity input from the promoters themselves. He emphasized that the ADB loan was neither extended under the 1D1F umbrella nor through any other government-subsidized financing scheme.

“It was a purely commercial deal arranged by the promoters, with property used as collateral,” he explained, likening it to securing a standard business loan to run a fuel station.

Awuni also alleged that although the previous government was invited to the groundbreaking event, most of its officials kept their distance. The sole state representative present, he said, was the Savelugu Municipal Chief Executive, while the Northern Regional Minister—who had been formally delegated via a letter from Jubilee House—failed to attend.

He noted that a significant shift occurred in 2025, when the project was brought before Ghana Exim Bank (GEXIM) for assessment. GEXIM, then under Managing Director Sylvester Mensah, reviewed the venture, cleared the ADB PLC facility, and extended additional concessionary financing to advance the factory’s construction. Awuni described this as the first instance of deliberate state backing for Northshore Apparel.

He also revealed that the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), through its Youth in Garment initiative, funded training for 1,000 beneficiaries, while the National Youth Authority (NYA) supported another 1,000 individuals.

Based on the information at his disposal, Awuni said he had not come across any proof that Northshore Apparel was financed as a 1D1F project. “These are the facts as I know them, and I have yet to see any contrary evidence indicating this project was part of the 1D1F initiative,” he wrote.

Nevertheless, he stressed that the more critical issue is the factory’s capacity to generate employment for thousands of Ghanaians. He argued that successive governments ought to support enterprises that create jobs and boost the economy, irrespective of which political party was in office when those businesses were launched.

“What truly matters is that this factory offers jobs to thousands, and future administrations will likely support it just as they do other local and international businesses,” he said.

Awuni maintained that while state support for the factory should be welcomed, it is equally essential for the public to have a clear and accurate picture of the project’s origins, financing structure, and its actual connection—or lack thereof—to the 1D1F programme.

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