The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has revealed that several abandoned factories built under the One District, One Factory initiative have been converted into places of worship.
Appearing before Parliament’s Assurance Committee last week, the Minister explained that the trend emerged because multiple factories were situated in districts completely lacking the raw materials required to sustain daily operations.
He heavily criticised the initial selection process for these projects, arguing that political interests took precedence over economic viability.
“We sited factories and companies far away from raw materials because politicians were coming from these faraway areas. How many of them survived?” he questioned.
He further noted that a significant number of state-owned enterprises established over the decades have collapsed, been sold off, or been privatised as a direct result of poor planning and long-term sustainability issues.
Looking forward, the Minister assured the Committee that the government intends to prevent identical failures when establishing its proposed 24-hour economy markets. Future projects, he stressed, will be strategically positioned strictly based on economic and commercial merits rather than political influence.
“Now the power has been given to us to conduct research in the various districts together with the District Chief Executives, so we know where these factories will be economically viable,” he added.
Comprehensive feasibility studies and extensive local economic assessments will now dictate where future projects are built to ensure long-term success and genuine job creation across the country.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
