Northern Regional Minister woo investors to the region

The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, has called on businesses to channel their investments to the Northern Region and take advantage of the many prospects peculiar to the region.

He made this statement in Accra during the State of the Region Report, a weekly news conference organized by the Ministry of Information for Regional Ministers to present updates on projects in the regions.

He stated that the area was gaining popularity among investors looking to make sizable investments due to the region's welcoming business environment, restoration of calm in the area and many investment opportunities.

“There is much to be achieved for the Northern Region given the huge potentials at our disposal. In this regard, I wish to use this opportunity to call on investors to inject the necessary capital into the various sectors of our economy,” the Regional Minister emphasised.

According to Alhaji Saibu, the area is blessed with vast and fertile agricultural lands that, when fully utilized, may transform the region's economy, help achieve food security, lower poverty, unemployment and rural-to-urban migration.

He acknowledged that the area faced difficulties, but the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MDAs), as well as other local private citizens, were working together to make sure that the environment was favourable for investment, which in turn encouraged people to make investments.

“Despite the challenges in the region, the RCC and MDAs in the region, in collaboration with other key stakeholders, will continue to create the necessary conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive, and for people to go about their socio-economic activities,” he stated.

In addition to attracting investors, the Regional Minister highlighted the infrastructure initiatives that are fostering regional development, such as road and health projects.

He announced that the Department of Urban Roads is now working on 245.58km of roads in Tamale and other capitals of the MMDAs in the region.

Alhaji Saibu further noted that 82 health-related facilities have been completed and currently in use, accounting for 72% of all completed projects.

“These projects include CHPS compounds, clinics and hospitals, administrative buildings for district health directorates, housing for healthcare personnel, and supplying logistics to hospitals,” he stressed.