President Nana Akufo-Addo has said his one district-one factory achievements are have shamed his critics who said it could not be done.

“My critics are being shamed one after the other”, he said on Wednesday, 6 October 2021, when he opened a shoe factory in Akropong, Eastern Region.

“They said we won’t be able to deliver the One District-One Factory promise but now everywhere I visit, I see some of the factories working”.

“When I said I was bringing the Free Senior High School policy, they rejected it outrightly, saying it wasn’t possible, but it has come to stay”, the president said.

The GH¢6.2 million shoe manufacturing company called Shoe Fabriek Ltd is fitted with the requisite infrastructure and equipment capable of producing 800 pairs of high-quality shoes, including security boots, school shoes and casual shoes for men, women, and children, per day. 

According to the promoters of the project, the siting of the factory in the Akuapem North District is going to create jobs for the residents, which will help reduce rural-urban migration. 

Shoe Fabriek has, so far, created jobs for one hundred and forty-four (144) people in the district, and is a classic example of the import substitution programme being implemented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, as part of the 1D1F Initiative. 

President Akufo-Addo congratulated the promoters of the factory, Michael Asare Bediako, Opoku Benson and Salomey Gyamfi, for supporting the industrial transformation agenda of his administration. 

While encouraging Ghanaian institutions such as schools, to patronise made in Ghana shoes from this factory, the president expressed gratitude to the traditional authorities and the residents of the community for their unflinching support to the company and advised the workers to put in their best to ensure sustained growth of the company. 

As of September 2021, 278 1D1F projects are at various stages of implementation under the 1D1F Initiative. Out of this number, 104 are currently in operation, 150 are under construction and 24 are at the mobilisation stage. 

One hundred and sixty-five (165) out of the 278 are new projects representing 60% whilst 113 companies are existing projects being supported, representing 40%. 

In promoting the 1D1F initiative, the Akufo-Addo government says it is seeking to address the youth unemployment challenge, by attracting private sector investments into the development activities of these communities. 

Adukrom-Nkurakan Road 30% complete 

The President also inspected ongoing work on the reconstruction of Nkurakan – Adukrom – Trom Junction Road. This bituminous road has not seen any major intervention for a very long, as such the road is narrow and in poor condition. 

The road was awarded on 23rd December 2020 to Messrs. General Construction & Development Limited, with work commencing on 19 July 2023. 

It is expected that, when the road is completed, it will bring relief to both motorists and pedestrians. It will reduce vehicle operating cost and reduce travelling time and facilitate the movement of goods and services. It will also serve as an alternative link to Koforidua, the regional capital when coming from Mamfe.