Ho, Sept. 26, GNA - Mr Joseph Amenowode, the Volta Regional Minister has asked industrialists from the Region to assist in developing their communities by establishing industries in the region.

He said this when Nana Owusu Afari, President of the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), handed him a catalogue of business challenges in the region at the opening the AGI’s Volta regional office in Ho.

Nana Afari said the challenges include: lack of innovation and outmoded technology, delays in resolving legal issues, non-availability of industrial sites, low access to business advisory and poor relationship between government agencies and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He said others are, cumbersome tax and administrative procedures, high cost of goods, lack of training and reluctance to pool resources to achieve a bigger resource base.

Mr Amenowode said the only industries the region could boast of are the Diamond Cement factory in Aflao and the ailing Volta Star Textile Factory in Juapong and that the next five years should see the establishment of five industries in the region by industrialists who hail from the region.

Mr Amenowode expressed the hope that the opening of the AGI’s regional office would create the necessary platform for regular interactions to improve the business environment in the region.

Nana Afari said his strong desire is to work towards the region’s sustainable development “by creating and expanding businesses which will employ people and create wealth”.

He said the opening of the AGI office in the region would help improve communication and dialogue with those in authority “and the rest of our policy makers so that we can together chart a good path for development in the region”.

Nana Afari said there was the need to create a team comprising of representatives of the AGI and the regional co-ordinating council “to develop a common proposal to assist enterprises in the region”.