Ideo Foundation to Establish Eco-Industrial Park At Agona

By Sebastian R. Freiku

Kumasi — IDEO Foundation, a local Non-governmental organization is to establish an Eco Industrial Park at Agona in Ashanti Region for the training of artisans and absorption of the youth into gainful employment.

To this end, the NGO has in consultation with the Agona Traditional Council acquired 150 acres of land for the project.

The proposed park will comprise vehicle assembly plant, an industrial and technical zone, with artisans and engineering firms, a commercial zone with malls and shops, training facility for artisans, a residential area and a green zone with waste for energy plants and renewable energy generators, as well as health and educational facilities and recreational centres.

Mr. Robert Ayertey, a co-founder of the IDEO Foundation and chairman of Zone 31 of the Ashanti Regional branch of the Ghana National Association of Garages (GNAG), explained that the proposed Eco Industrial Park would provide resources and facilities to enhance the skills of the youth and artisan community and develop and maintain industrial communities for artisans and technical trainees.

He said the Park would also provide technical workshops, automobile assembling and mechanical plan for education and economic activities and provide employment, accommodation facilities and social amenities for the developed industrial communities.

The IDEO Foundation founder said a concept on the Eco Industrial Park has been developed and would soon be launched to woo prospective investors.

He noted that if the project gets the appropriate push, it could be fully implemented within a year to achieve its stated objectives. Mr. Ayertey has, therefore, appealed to the government, investors, NGOs and the general public to partner with IDEO Foundation and support the various initiatives to come to fruition.

Mr. Aryertey, who is seeking re-election for the position of GNAG Zone 31 chairman, said the project would give legs to his life-long ambition to train more artisans from the youth bracket to earn decent living.

The past five years, Mr. Ayertey has been offering assistance to students of the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) at the Ayertey Alignment Services at Abrepo Junction.

Mr. Ayertey said further that IDEO Foundation in collaboration with the National Executives of GNAG has created a website and a database to sell GNAG to the international community for the growth of the association.

According to him, the database concept has been accepted by the Council of Indigenous Business Associations (CIBA) for which acceptance IDEO Foundation is preparing for the registration and creation of website and database for its members.

He said IDEO Foundation is also considering training members of GNAG in the field of ICT, book keeping, entrepreneurship and teaching and learning of foreign languages as English and French to eliminate language barrier in the businesses.

As a result, a six classroom block with office and store has been acquired at Medoma in the Kwabre East district for the training programmes.

Mr. Ayertey lauded the "one district, one factory" concept of the government and hoped his initiative under project will give a boost to the 'one district, one factory' policy and help reduce youth unemployment drastically in the country.

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