Accra: Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has clarified that Northshore Apparel GH was not funded under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme, stating that the project only received direct state support through Ghana Exim Bank in 2025.
According to Ghana Web, Manasseh Azure Awuni, in a Facebook post on Monday, August 31, 2026, explained that the promoters of the Northshore Apparel project had presented their concept to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government through the 1D1F Secretariat and the Ministry of Trade in 2022. Although the concept was acknowledged, the project did not receive funding under the 1D1F programme. Furthermore, the concessionary funding arrangements between 1D1F and commercial banks were not extended to Northshore Apparel, as confirmed by Azure.
The project, which broke ground in 2024, was financed through a combination of grant support from Investing for Employment-a facility under the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development-a commercial loan from ADB PLC, and equity contributions from the project's promoters. Azure emphasized that the ADB facility was a purely commercial transaction, with the promoters securing the loan using their properties as collateral, without any government concessionary support.
During the groundbreaking ceremony in 2024, government officials largely distanced themselves from the project, with the exception of the Municipal Chief Executive of Savelugu. Azure also noted that the Northern Regional Minister, delegated by Jubilee House, did not attend the ceremony.
The project received attention from Ghana Exim Bank in 2025, under the leadership of Sylvester Mensah. The bank evaluated and expanded the project's scope, paid off the ADB loan, and injected funds at concessionary rates, marking the first instance of deliberate state support for Northshore.
Additionally, the Youth Employment Agency, through its Youth in Garment programme, and the National Youth Authority supported the training of 2,000 beneficiaries in total. Azure stressed the importance of the factory's job creation potential, stating that its ability to provide employment for thousands should be the primary focus, irrespective of which administration supported it. He insisted on accurate presentation of facts concerning government involvement in the project.