One district, one factory: Volta minister cuts sod for Kente Village in Agortime

The Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Letsa has cut the sod for the Agortime Kente village in the Volta Region.

It is the first of many business projects to be undertaken in region as part of the government's one district, one factory project.

Dr Letsa pledged the support of the governing New Patriotic Party to see to it that the Kente Village in Agortime is completed in order to provide jobs for many unemployed youth in the area.

According to him, the development of indigenous industries is very critical in the quest to economically empower the people and to create wealth.

Dr Letsa said, the construction of the Kente Village is central to the President Akufo Addo's policy of one village one factory" agenda in ensuring that as people no matter where we are located, we will play a commanding role in the industrialisation process of the nation.

"Through the establishment of the Kente Village, we are also promoting the development of the creative arts industry" he said.

Dr Letsa said, the construction of the Kente village project will act as an avenue for anyone to buy a kente product ,learn about the cloths which defines the identity of the Ghanaian. He also believed the new village will be a vital step to preserving and codifying the indigenous technology for posterity.

He also hoped that with the construction of the project, the tourism potential of Agortime can be tapped and the district will be more prominent on the tourism map of Ghana.

The chairman for the planning committee of the Village,Eddie Akotey in his speech said the sod cutting marks the actualization phase of the dream that was conceptualized some 25 years ago.

He said, the Kente Village project aims at establishing a hub for the kente fabric which will encapsulate everything from the history of the fabric, the tourism dimension, the kente weaving enterprise to job creation.

Mr Akotey said, they intend to establish a more organized and regulated kente weaving industry which will be a cooperative society for the weavers to increase their profits and provide an avenue for access to credit facilities.

According to him, this will attract new entrants into the industry to encourage a healthy competition. He has however appealed to government and stakeholders to come together for the realisation of the program.

The Konor of Agortime traditional area, Nene Nuer Keteku III in his speech said the kente village project goes beyond weaving and selling the kente cloth and that the project will deepen the cultural values and foster unity and development in the communities.

The 2.4 million Ghana cedis project aims at giving jobs to the teming youth in the area. It also aims producing quality kente products in Agortime. Phase one of the project is expected to be completed by January 2018.