The Minister for Trade and Industry, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah has advised people in the Northern Region to debunk the tag of being poor and harness their resources to become the food basket of the country.

He said in the past the area produced enough rice for local consumption and exported some to neighboring countries and wondered why they have lost that status.

Dr Spio-Garbrah said this when he interacted with some cross section of managers of business enterprises in Tamale.

He said what is needed is to add value to the products to attract customers to patronize the goods and services.

The Minister said the Region has vast virgin lands for the cultivation of tubers, rice, vegetables, mango and cashew, adding that success will alleviate poverty in the area and provide enough food to satisfy the country’s food requirements.

He entreated the mangers to go into partnership in the agro processing food chain to reap the full benefit of their investment, pointing out that such a venture needs about 30 acres of land which he said was abound in the Region.

The Trades Minister advised business owners to learn how to write business proposals to enable them benefit from government-funded projects in the agriculture and industry sectors.

He announced government’s intention to establish sugar cane plantation in Savelugu in the Northern Region “and sugar will be produced here to reduce its importation in the country.”

He said the economic growth of the country will depend much on Public Private Partnership, PPP, and urged them to be focused on whatever businesses they are doing and assured them that government has created enabling environment for businesses to thrive.

The Regional Minister, Alhaji Muhammed Muniru Limuna, assured business owners of cooperation from the Regional Coordinating Council.

Dr Spio-Garbrah is touring the three regions in the north to meet business owners to let them know some opportunities that are available to them from government and other international agencies.