Chamber of Commerce commends government

THE Sekondi-Takoradi Chamber of Commerce and
Industry has commended the government for changing the name of the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly (SAEMA), as it was popularly known, to the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA).

The change in the name of the name became necessary, after Shama had been declared as a separate district.
“We are happy to note that our request has been granted, and today we have in place the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, and no longer Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Assembly,” Mr. Vincent Annan, Executive Secretary of the Chamber, wrote in a press release, issued in Takoradi recently.

The Chamber expressed delight in the change, because the old name was retrogressing the developing of the city.

The advocacy for the change in the name of the Assembly was initiated by the Chamber, after it had done consultations with the traditional authorities, opinion leaders, business consultants, and members of the larger business community, in the metropolis, and had held the view that change, indeed, was desirable and necessary.

According to the statement, Sekondi-Takoradi has the prospect of re-opening doors for investment, by the multinational organizations in the Twin-City, and indeed the multinational companies, with which the Gold Coast had trade relations with, for over 100 years.

The statement also noted with satisfaction, the rapid development projects being undertaken by the government in the region, particularly in the road, education and sports sectors.

However, it expressed dissatisfaction with lands reserved for industrial establishment, which had seen no infrastructure.

“We are, therefore, appealing to the government, to put in place the necessary infrastructure at the Industrial-Free Zone, located in the metropolis, to get it ready for investors, who might wish to set up industries in the metropolis.”

According to the statement, unless that was done, investors would not be willing to bring investment to the metropolis, in spite of the numerous facilities, such as the Ports, Railway, Air-strip, thermal plant, among others, which make up the conditions necessary for the location of industry.

The statement, therefore, concluded by urging government to declare the Takoradi Port, an import and export port, to enable ships discharge more cargo at the port, in order to make it busy and bring the metropolis back to state in which it used to be.