Ghana EXIM Bank is considering the Volta Region as the next location for a state-backed garment and apparel factory. The bank's Chief Executive Officer, Sylvester Adinam Mensah, announced this plan at the Volta Economic Forum held in Ho on 23 September 2026. The proposed factory is modelled on the Savelugu plant in the Northern Region, which has created over 2,300 jobs. The new facility aims to generate employment and boost local production in the Volta Region.
The Savelugu factory, known as the Northshore Apparel Hub, is a wholly Ghanaian-owned, zero-waste apparel manufacturing operation that operates around the clock in shifts. It was funded jointly by Ghana EXIM Bank, Germany's development bank KfW, and the Agricultural Development Bank. According to Mensah, the Volta initiative will fall under President John Dramani Mahama's Reset Agenda, a broader policy platform for economic recovery and job creation.
The proposed Volta factory will draw workers from towns across the south of the region, including Keta, Anloga, Denu, Afiadenyigba, Abor, Akatsi, Klikor, Agbozume, Dabala, and Dzodze. Mensah urged regional stakeholders to shift from discussing the Volta Region's economic potential and instead begin putting together bankable projects that could position it as a hub for production, exports, and job creation.
However, no specific site, timeline, or investment figure for the proposed Volta factory was disclosed at the forum. It remains unclear which district will host the plant, when construction might begin, or how it will be financed. The bank has not indicated when further details will be released.
The Volta announcement follows a similar initiative in the Central Region, where officials inspected land for a proposed Cape Coast textile factory in September 2026. This project also lacks a confirmed date or investor. The two cases suggest a government strategy of using regional apparel and textile factories to spread manufacturing jobs beyond Accra.
For residents of southern Volta towns, a confirmed factory could mean new formal-sector jobs in an area that has historically relied on fishing, farming, and informal trade. However, with no timeline, site, or financing plan yet announced, it is unclear when or if the promised jobs will materialize.
The proposed factory is part of a broader effort to promote economic development and job creation in Ghana's regions. Ghana EXIM Bank's initiative aims to replicate the success of the Savelugu factory in the Volta Region, providing new opportunities for local residents and contributing to the region's economic growth.
Key points
- The proposed factory in the Volta Region is expected to create jobs and boost local production, following the success of a similar project in the Northern Region.
- The project is part of President John Dramani Mahama's Reset Agenda, a broader policy platform for economic recovery and job creation.
- The factory will draw workers from towns across the south of the Volta Region, providing new formal-sector job opportunities in the area.
