Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Michael Ocquaye Jnr
THE ASANTEHENE, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has given his blessing to plans by Michael Ocquaye Jnr., CEO of the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) and his management team, to remove all illegal structures and encroachers on the authority’s lands at Ejisu in the Ashanti Region.
This came to light when Mr Oquaye Jnr. and his team paid a courtesy call on His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II recently at his palace.
The visit, which was part of the CEO’s 3-day visit to the Ashanti Region, accorded him the opportunity to engage with key stakeholders as he works towards the export-oriented vision of His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and President of the Republic.
The King also, was not happy with people who had erected structures on GFZA lands without attaining building permits from the Ejisu Municipal Authority.
This was after Mr Oquaye Jnr. presented the Ghana Free Zones Industrial Developmental Plan for the Kumasi Export Processing Zone to His Royal Majesty and informed him of steps to eject encroachers from the site to pave the way for the start of the project.
The land, acquired in 2005 as one of Ghana’s export processing zones, is set to receive the needed facelift as the country positions itself as the export hub within the sub-region
The funding is part of a World Bank facility extended to Ghana to develop the Greater Kumasi Industrial Park.
As part of efforts to get the project started on time, the World Bank engaged consultants in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to undertake several exercises, including site assessment, best practice benchmarking, environmental and social impact assessment.
On-ground inspection is set to start from October 2021. It has therefore become critical to pull down all illegal structures on the land to pave way for the planned development.
On his part, His Royal Majesty congratulated the CEO on his appointment and expressed his confidence in him to deliver on the new mandate given to him by the President just like he did during his tenure as Ghana’s High Commissioner to India.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II recalled how he supported the acquisition of the land in 2005 and lamented its abandonment all these years.
However, he was optimistic that the new focus on the Greater Kumasi Industrial Project would see the land being put to its intended use.
The team from the Ghana Free Zones Authority also made a donation to Manhyia.
A business desk report