Tamale: Government is set to develop an approximately 150-acre air cargo hub at the Tamale International Airport to facilitate the export of vegetables, fruits, and other high-value agricultural produce from northern Ghana to international markets. Mr. Goosie Tanoh, the National Coordinator for the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, announced this initiative, which is part of the government's broader strategy to establish an integrated production and export system connecting agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and logistics in northern Ghana.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Secretariat, in collaboration with the Ghana Airports Company Limited, has already demarcated about 150 acres of land at the Tamale International Airport for the development of the air cargo hub. Mr. Tanoh spoke at the inauguration of Northshore Apparel Ghana Limited, an export garment factory at Savelugu in the Northern Region. The company, funded through a partnership involving the Ghana Export-Import Bank, Germany's Investing for Employment through the KfW Development Bank among others, forms part of the implementation of the government's 24-hour economy initiative.
Mr. Tanoh stated that the air cargo facility would provide a dedicated logistics platform for moving high-value agricultural commodities produced in northern Ghana directly to international markets. The development aims to promote commercial-scale agriculture and value addition while improving access to export markets for farmers and agribusinesses in the northern part of the country.
The air cargo hub is part of a wider economic transformation programme under the 24-hour economy initiative, which seeks to integrate production centers with efficient transport, energy, and export infrastructure. Mr. Tanoh also mentioned that the government is pursuing the development of an agriculture corridor covering about 120,000 hectares at Senga and Daboya along the White Volta for commercial-scale production of vegetables, cereals, oilseeds, and more.
Additionally, the corridor will support a proposed 270-million-dollar integrated poultry industry, further strengthening the agricultural and agro-processing value chains in the area. The government is also working to provide affordable and reliable energy to support industries in the region, including plans for a 1.5-gigawatt solar power plant under the Volta Economic Corridor.
Mr. Tanoh emphasized that these initiatives are interconnected components of a single production system rather than isolated projects, aiming to integrate and unify Ghana's economy into one ecosystem that drives productivity, increases production, creates jobs, and promotes inclusive economic growth. The air cargo hub is crucial for ensuring agricultural producers in northern Ghana can take advantage of both domestic and international markets, as the government continues to work with the private sector and development partners to mobilize the investments required to transform northern Ghana into a major production and export hub.
He noted the success of the 24-hour economy programme depends on connecting farmers, industries, logistics providers, and export markets in an efficient value chain that creates opportunities for young people and local businesses. Mr. Frederik Landshof, the German Ambassador to Ghana, commended Ghana for her industrial revolution and pledged Germany's continuous commitment to supporting Ghana in driving sustainable development.