By Sheron Tita and Ashu Manfred
The Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, MINMIDT, Fuh Calistus Gentry, has encouraged investors to invest in the Southwest Region. The minister was speaking in line with his vision of boosting industrialization, and curbing unemployment within the region. Minister
Prof Fuh Calistus Gentry made this appeal during a one-day working visit to PRISTINE SASU, an industrial complex for the production and bottling of mineral water, carbonated drinks and dairy drinks, which is currently undergoing construction in Tiko Subdivision.
“While I encourage managers to press ahead with the implementation and development of this project, I appeal to investors and other private promoters to follow the footsteps of PRISTINE SASU and seize the various opportunities presented by our dear beloved and beautiful country”,Minister Fuh Calistus appealed.
The appeal was made in the presence of the Governor of the Southwest Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai, the Southwest Regional Assembly president, Bakoma Elango Zacheuse, Mayor of Tiko HRM Peter IkomeMesso amongst others.
Equally during the working visit the MINMIDT boss promised to strengthen capacities of leading agro industries in the Southwest Region, which are CDC and PAMOL.
In his desire to reduce the unemployment rate, he urged CDC to engage in the transformation of what they produced, emphasizing that the transformation stage is the source of wealth.
He told the stakeholders; “We want CDC to transform 70 percent of what they produce. We don’t want to be an exporter of raw materials, we want to transform locally. That is where jobs are created, that is where wealth is developed. So the rest of the country is moving in that domain and we do not want the South West which ought to be the leader to become a place where we have to be preaching messages”
In order to ensure that this vision comes to fruition, Minister Fuh Calistus announced a working visit is planned to the FORCE TYRE plant, dedicated to the production of tyres through local processing of rubber trees.
Aside from that the interim minister of mines announced the adoption of a “one municipality one industry project”.
“ I am also announcing that from today the Government , through ministry of mines has adopted one municipality one industry for the whole country. But there will always be municipalities, regions that will have more capacity. We want that in every municipality, the municipal authorities, the minister of Decentralization we will work together to make sure that we create jobs”.
The one municipality one industry initiative was applauded by the Mayor of Tiko, HRM Peter Ikome Mesoso, stating the municipality of Tiko is a potential beneficiary.
“One municipality one industry I think it is going to be great because Tiko first of all we have the land. So I want to say Tiko is really exposed as one potential beneficiary to this particular innovation because we have enough land in Tiko”.
The minister’s working visit wrapped up at the Likomba Golf Club, where he had a working session with some stakeholders of CDC, Chamber of Commerce and others.
Minister Fuh Calistus Gentry was welcomed at the Mungo Bridge by the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard OkaliaBilai, the Senior Divisional Officer of Fako, Viang Mekala Engelbert, the Divisional Officer of Tiko, Voh Armstrong and the Mayor of the Tiko Council, Chief Peter Ikome Mesoso 111, before embarking on his official visit to other parts of the Division.
