The Presidential candidate of the NPP Nana Akufo Addo has disclosed that one of the main components of the next NPP government under his leadership would be a significant increase in jobs to curb Ghana’s unemployment situation.

He observed that the nation’s industries would be expanded with the necessary investments and the proper public-private-partnerships to generate hundreds of jobs for the populace.

Nana Akufo-Addo made this known when he delivered a speech on industrialization and job creation in the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO).

These jobs, Nana said would be well paying jobs which would move the country forward into prosperity.

To start with, Nana promised to set up a USD One billion Development Fund (IDF) to help young people with great ideas to start out on their own and create businesses to promote Ghana’s development.

“To complement this, as I promised the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI)

In May, my government will pass, an “SME’s CHARTER BILL” to support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, he said.

According to Nana, the next NPP government under his leadership would work very hard to build on President Kufuor’s legacy to attain these dreams.

He therefore urged the youth to get educated in preparation for jobs in the near future. To that already in work, nana said the next NPP government would intensify on the job training to enhance their skills.

The Presidential candidate of the NPP disclosed that confidence in the Ghanaian economy had grown significantly in part due to the sound Macro economic policies and adherence to the rule of law of the Kufuor administration which he hopes to continue. +Ghana, he said, had been adjudged the ninth best place to do business in the emerging world and the best in Africa.

“This year’s foreign direct investment according to the Ghana Investment Promotion Council, will reach the 5 Billion USD mark for the first time in our history” he said.

He noted that since the inception of the Kufour Administration strenuous efforts have been made to correct the old arrangement which worked to Ghana’s disadvantage.

This he said was as a result of the negotiation with both Kaiser Aluminium Company of Huston USA and Aluminium Company of America in Pittsburgh (AlCOA).

The acquisition according to Nana has provided an opportunity to attract major global players of the industry to partner Government to create a new frontier of industrialisation.

The Chief Executive Officer of VALCO Dr. Charles Mensa later took Nana and some members of his campaign team including Alan Kyeremanten, Yaw Osafo, Prof. Mike Oquaye, Dr. Nyaho Tamakloe, Vicky Bright and Sammy Crabbe round the company’s processing plant.

With the emergence of the new VALCO which government of Ghana has major Stake in it Nana said, development such as VALE do Rio Doce of Brazil, the second largest mining company in the world and owner of the largest alumina refinery in the world, and Norsk Hydro Alumina Company would team up to develop the bauxite mines in Kyebi and Nyinahin, all linked to railway to the alumina refinery site in Tema near VALCO.

This he said would lead to the development of the first integral Aluminium industry in Africa.

The next NPP Government according to Nana would raise funds to develop the IRON ORE industry with deposits at Oppong Manso and other areas in the Northern.

In addition to these Nana explained that, the discovery of Crude Oil in Ghana must not only be exploited for export but rather refined and used completely to its final point of chain, in plastics, bitumen etc ,in order to earn significant number of jobs and earn huge foreign exchange.

To prepare for the county’s future Nana said the next NPP government would complete the West African Gas Pipe Line Project, expand the Aboadze thermal Plant, and construct new dams on the Ankobra and other rivers.