President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaian investors to move quickly to take advantage of opportunities in the Afram Plains as government works to improve access to the area through the construction of a new bridge over the Afram River at Ekye Amanfrom.

The President described the project as a “game-changer” that would end years of isolation and unlock the vast agricultural and economic potential of the Afram Plains.

Speaking during an engagement with members of the Kwahu Business Advocacy, President Mahama said the development agenda for the area goes beyond infrastructure and must focus on transforming the vast stretch of land into a major centre for agriculture, agro-processing and investment.

He explained that for many years, the Afram Plains had remained largely cut off from the rest of the country due to difficult access routes and the river systems surrounding the area.

“The Afram Plains is one huge expanse of land that for many years has been cut off from the rest of the country because of the difficulty in entering the Afram Plains and then the river systems that almost completely surround it,” he said.

President Mahama said the new bridge would significantly change the economic prospects of the area by allowing investors to establish large-scale agricultural ventures and processing facilities.

“This new bridge over the River Afram at Ekye Amanfrom is going to be the game changer for the Afram Plains,” he said.

He encouraged members of the Kwahu Business Advocacy to take advantage of the opportunity rather than allow external investors to dominate the emerging investment space.

“I’ll be happy that the Kwahu Business Advocacy group take advantage of it quickly instead of us waiting and then some foreigners will come and start establishing plantations there and putting in agro-business.”

The President said investors could explore opportunities in crop production, value addition and export-oriented processing.

He cited cashew cultivation and processing, rice production, palm oil plantations, rubber production and other agribusiness ventures as areas with significant potential.

“You must take advantage and see how you can utilise that land once the bridge is built to establish various products that we can process both for local consumption and for export.”

President Mahama mentioned the establishment of a large-scale rice production facility by former Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company (BOST) Chief Executive, Kwame Awuah-Darko, as an example of the type of investments that could transform the area.

He said the facility, which includes plans for a rice mill, demonstrates the opportunities available for local investors in agricultural production and processing.

“There’s cashew, you can have a cashew processing plant. I already know that one of our own who was the Chief Executive of BOST, Kwami Wadaku, has established a huge rice production facility.”

Beyond agriculture, the President also highlighted the tourism prospects of the Afram Plains, particularly the Volta Lake, which he said could support the development of marinas, lakeside resorts and other tourism infrastructure.

He said unlocking the area’s potential through improved infrastructure would create jobs, expand local businesses and contribute to Ghana’s broader economic growth.

The Afram Plains, located in the Eastern Region, has long been recognised for its fertile agricultural land but has faced challenges linked to transportation and connectivity, limiting investment and commercial activity.