The Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) has appealed to traditional leaders to make available lands for the development of industrial enclaves within their jurisdictions to create jobs for the youth and boost economic growth.

Land acquisition in Ghana remains a bane for investors and this has led to an exodus of prospective investors who had expressed interest in doing business in the country.

It is in this light that the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) has appealed to traditional leaders to release lands for development in their communities.

According to the Head of Enclave and Estate Management of Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Kwame Nsiah Asante, Mr. Nsiah Asante, the GFZA is looking to create regional land banks across the country.

“As journalists I will appeal to you, you are all from certain parts of the country, if you can talk to your chiefs, opinion leaders if they can offer the Free Zones Authority land, not one or two acre but from 500 or 1000acre which we can acquire.”

He explained that once they acquire the land, they pay all compensation related to economic activities and added that wherever they have sited industrial parks, it “is a win-win situation for the community and the Free Zones Authority. Normally most of the workers come from the community”

The establishment of an industrial park also puts the host community on the international map, in that whenever the GFZA embarks on an investment promotion, the community’s name comes up, Mr.Nsiah Asante noted.

He further explained that there are several raw materials in the country which are untapped and some of these have internal value, hence their decision to create a land bank to serve as a hub for future development.

Already, the GFZA have developed industrial parks in the Ashanti regional town of Boankra near Kumasi, with a land size of 1,099 acres; Shama in the Western Region, which has been occupied by Black Ivy of USA which acquired 400 acres of the land as a private enclave developer.

Ghana’s Free Zones Programme is designed to promote processing and manufacturing of goods through the establishment of Export Processing Zones (EPZs), and, encouraging the development of commercial and service activities at sea-and air-port areas.