South Tongu’s economic landscape is being redefined in the Volta region, with Member of Parliament Maxwell Kwame Lukutor at the forefront of this transformative vision.

As part of a bold mission to drive sustainable development and unlock investment potential, the MP officially launched the inaugural South Tongu Business & Investment Forum at Hlevi, Sogakope.

The high-impact event brought together a powerful coalition of development partners, private investors, entrepreneurs, traditional authorities, policymakers, and diaspora stakeholders.

Held under the theme “Harnessing Local and Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development in South Tongu,” the forum marked a paradigm shift, positioning the district as a strategic destination for investment and a hub for inclusive growth.

In his keynote address, Mr Lukutor said, “We are not looking for charity. We are offering opportunity—opportunity backed by solid potential, local support, and leadership committed to facilitating change.”

He further called for the area’s tourism potential to be viewed not as dormant but as a “goldmine awaiting investment,” and urged that young people be prepared not for migration, but for active participation in a modern, skills-driven economy.

Stakeholders at home and abroad were challenged to unite behind a shared agenda of innovation, enterprise, and enduring collaboration.

The forum's agenda was sharply focused on seven strategic sectors seen as pivotal to the district’s transformation:

• Agriculture and Agribusiness: Emphasis was placed on mechanisation, irrigation, and value addition in crops such as cassava and maize, along with aquaculture and poultry production.
• Tourism and Hospitality: With eco-tourism, river-based recreation, and cultural festivals highlighted, a call was made for robust investment in hospitality infrastructure.
• Education and Skills Development: Proposals included expanding technical and vocational education and encouraging academia-industry partnerships to drive innovation.
• Industrialisation and Manufacturing: Plans were outlined for the establishment of SME zones, agro-processing facilities, and hubs for ceramics and woodwork as avenues for job creation.
• ICT and the Digital Economy: Investment was urged in digital infrastructure and innovation hubs to support tech entrepreneurship among the youth.
• Retail and Commerce: Recommendations were made for modern market spaces, warehousing solutions, and inclusive financial services to enable SME growth.
• Youth Development through Sports and Recreation: A flagship initiative was unveiled for the construction of a state-of-the-art sports complex aimed at promoting youth empowerment, community health, and national sports visibility.

The forum featured engaging panel discussions, product exhibitions, and investor matchmaking sessions, transforming the space into a vibrant marketplace of ideas and opportunity. Young entrepreneurs took the stage to present innovative business ideas and locally produced goods in a bid to attract partnerships and capital.

Guest speaker George Amewu, Branch Manager at Ecobank, underscored five key pillars essential to business growth: infrastructure development, regulatory reform, access to finance, skills enhancement, and strategic collaboration.

“Business-friendly environments are not accidental; they are engineered through foresight, policy alignment, and stakeholder synergy,” Mr Amewu stated.

District Chief Executive for South Tongu, Mr. Victoria Dzeklo, pledged the Assembly’s full support for the MP’s vision, giving specific endorsement to the multipurpose sports complex and reaffirming the district’s commitment to peace, unity, and inclusive development.

With genuine investor interest already expressed in the areas of agribusiness, tourism, and infrastructure, the forum has begun to generate tangible momentum. Commitments were made by traditional leaders and private sector actors to partner with the MP’s office and the planning committee to ensure sustained progress, secure funding, and drive implementation.

The South Tongu Business & Investment Forum 2025 was universally acclaimed as a groundbreaking success. More than just an event, it signalled the beginning of a district-wide transformation—one driven by visionary leadership, a clear economic agenda, and a community ready to rise.

The MP concluded, “The real work begins now—transforming commitments into contracts, partnerships into projects, and potential into prosperity. South Tongu is now open for business—and its future has never looked brighter."