Tatale, April 15, GNA - The chiefs and people of Zabzugu/Tatale District are inviting investors to mine the iron ore in the Sheini community, in the Zabzugu/Tatale District, of the Northern Region for their mutual benefit.

Ghana would increase its forex earnings from the iron ore deposits, which was being mined by the Russians but was abandoned after the 1966 coup in Ghana.

The Presiding Member of Zabzugu/Tatale district Assembly, Mr Edward Dawuni Atta Abebe, made this invitation, on behalf of the chiefs and people of the area when he met the chief of Sheini Obore Chamanya Poadi at Tatale at the weekend.

Mr Dawuni Abebe said the government had created an investment friendly environment to encourage private investment, while the District Assembly, the chiefs and people have put in place measures to assist the extensive scope of investment opportunities in the district. He stated that Ghanaians living home, abroad and foreigners were invited to visit the area to invest in the district because of the peace the people were enjoying.

The district shares boundaries with Togo to the East, Yendi District to the West, Nanumba North and south and Nkwanta Districts to the South, and Saboba District to the North. It is endowed with natural resources, beautiful surroundings and a warm hospitable people. He said 90 percent of the people in the area were farmers who cultivate yams, guinea corn, millet, maize, beans, cassava, groundnuts and cowpea.

Mr Dawuni Abebe indicated that agriculture as the leading sector in the district's economy was dominated by small-scale unorganized farmers who depended on mainly simple labour intensive production techniques. The Presiding Member said the farmers produce yams in large scale and transport large quantities of the yams to the urban centres for sale.

He appealed to the government to assist the farmers to export the yams. He said exporting of some of these crops would encourage the farmers to expand their farms.

Mr Dawuni Abebe pointed out that the district has potentials, such as available pasture for livestock rearing, available land for commercial production of yams, groundnuts, millet and guinea corn but with low marketing capacity.

He said economic trees such as dawadawa, teak, kapok and mango can be found in the district.

He appealed to the government to assist the farmers with tractors and other farm input to cultivate exportable produce. On his part, the chief of Sheini, Obori Chamanya Poadi, appealed to the government to commission a geological survey to map the iron ore deposits at Sheini to support the efforts of the Assembly and the people of the district to attract investors to the area. He said the area would be blessed when the ore is mined, while the youth would be gainfully employed.

He appealed to the government to bring back the Russians if it would be possible for them to revive the project.