Lack of port hampering investment drive to the north – Haruna Iddrisu

Trade Minister Haruna Iddrisu says government has identified the lack of port in the three northern regions as one of the reasons why investors are not willing to invest there.

He however said government is taking steps to address the issues in the Upper East Upper West and the Northern Regions.

‘Despite the five to ten years tax holiday incentive that government has assured investors willing to invest in the area, they are still unwilling citing lack of port in the North’.

This he said has informed government’s decision to elevate the Tamale airport to an international level to take care of some of the concerns of the investors.

The Trade Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Tamale South said this when he addressed members of his constituency at the commissioning of an electrification project for two farming communities – Chanshagu and Cheshe.

The electrification project forms part of the rural electrification project being implemented by the government at a cost of $121 million.

Twenty two farming communities in the Tamale South constituency are to benefit from the project. So far 14 communities have been completed and have since been connected to the national grid with work on the remaining 8 far advance and expected to be completed soon.

The Tamale South MP also appealed to the reaming communities in the constituency who are yet to access electricity to exercise patience because government was working to ensure that all communities are connected to the national grid by 2016.

The extension of electricity to the two communities is expected to improve education and economic activities of the rural folks in the area.

The inhabitants of the two communities could not hide their joy and excitement seeing their communities light up. They danced, sang, and heaped praises on their MP and government for fulfilling what was promised them.

Prior to the project, the two communities claimed life was ‘unbearable’ for them. They no longer have to travel to the neighboring communities to do anything that needed electricity, the noted recounting how beneficial project is.