The Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA) has turned the spotlight on Bono East’s vast agricultural wealth, declaring the region ripe for industrial investment, particularly in cashew processing, as it seeks to replicate the economic successes of Ghana’s established commercial centres.
At the Regional Investment Forum, held to conclude GIPA’s Regional Investment Roadshow in Bono East, government officials, traditional leaders and local businesses rallied behind plans to transform the region into a major investment destination.
Bono East Regional Minister Francis Owusu Antwi said the government’s ambition to build a self-reliant, private sector-driven economy starts with unlocking the untapped economic potential of regions such as Bono East.
He pointed to the region’s strategic central location, saying it offers strong commercial links with neighbouring regions and positions Bono East as an emerging trade and investment corridor.
Representing the Techiman Traditional Council, Benkumhene Nana Okogyeaman Kesse Basahyia IV said the region must accelerate economic growth and employment opportunities if it is to realise its development ambitions.
He assured investors that the traditional authorities would provide the necessary support to facilitate investment and business expansion.
GIPA Deputy Chief Executive Officer A. Razak Baba said the Authority is focused on reproducing the investment success seen in Greater Accra and the Western Region rather than competing directly with them.
He identified agro-processing as one of Bono East’s biggest opportunities, revealing that the region and its surrounding areas account for about 70% of Ghana’s cashew production.
According to him, the figures present a compelling business case for establishing cashew processing plants within the region instead of exporting raw produce.
The investment forum concluded with project presentations and an interactive session, where participants raised questions and discussed strategies for attracting investment and accelerating economic development in Bono East.
