Leadership of the Northshore Apparel Development, an export -oriented textile company in collaboration with its partners, has broken the ground for the construction of a multipurpose textile manufacturing facility in Savelugu.
The facility when completed would mainly produce for export. The factory will make sportswear, workwear, and children’s clothing as well as underwear and promotional items, as demand for these items is not very dependent on fashion trends.
During the 14 months investment phase, 30 production lines will be set up in the new sewing room. The aim is to produce seven(7) to eight(8) million items of clothing per year. Around three quarters of these will go to major customers in the USA and South Africa, who have already issued letters of intent to this effect.
The consortium will invest a total of 10.3 million euros in the construction of the new factory.
During the groundbreaking ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer for Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited, Mohammed Nurudeen, while commending the partners also radiated optimism about the project’s transformative potential.
He revealed that, under phase one of the project, the facility intends to engage a minimum of 1,600 people and 80% of the workforce will be reserved for women.
“No Pre-education is required. You don’t need to have un apparel skills; you don’t need education to get a job in the facility; you just need to present yourself with the intention to learn something and provide for your family. We will teach you and take you through the training, and after the training, we will employ you”, he said.
On his part, the Managing Director of Investment For Employment (IFE), Steffen Kuhi, said his facility invested a grant of 2.5 million euros to co-finance the construction project and purchase of new machinery because of the potential it will have on the people in this part of the country.
“There will be a further integration of the whole value chain in this region. So it means that, in practice, there will be additional jobs to be created. There will be ecosystem around this very factory. So in one or two years when I come back here, I will not recognize this piece of soil and land that we see here today. It would have transformed to something very meaningful. That is why IFE is granting 2.5 million euros to the project”, he narrates.
The Managing Director of the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB), Alhassan Yakubu Tali, in his remarks said, “we are excited to be the partner Bank for Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited, and it is our commitment to provide the necessary assistance to ensure the completion, opening and success of this facility”.
Former minority leader Honorable Haruna Iddrisu, in his address while encouraging the youth to take advantage of the project also call on the government to create an enabling environment for the private sector to lead employment generation and employment creation.
The paramount chief of the Savelugu traditional area, Naa Yakubu Abdulai Andani, in his remarks commended the management of Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited, for coming out with such initiative to address unemployment issues in the area.
Story By: Alhassan Yakubu |www.diamondfmonline.com |Ghana.
