The Tema grassroots of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have commended President John Dramani Mahama for securing a strategic partner for the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) within a year, describing the move as a decisive milestone in Ghana’s industrial revival.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the group said the development had restored confidence in Tema’s industrial future after years of uncertainty surrounding the aluminium smelter.

VALCO, long regarded as the backbone of Tema’s industrial identity, had struggled with losses and underutilisation, despite repeated assurances under the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration to attract a strategic investor, the grassroots members claimed.

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According to them, President Mahama’s intervention represents a clear departure from what they characterised as nearly a decade of unfulfilled promises, signalling a shift from rhetoric to measurable delivery.

“A promise delivered in record time,” the statement noted, praising what it described as the President’s leadership and economic diplomacy. “By securing a credible strategic partner for VALCO, the President has delivered a concrete victory for Ghana’s industrial sector.”

A spokesperson for the group said the announcement had rekindled hope among the youth and working class of Tema, who have borne the brunt of industrial decline.

“We have watched VALCO struggle for far too long. Previous management assured the youth of expansion, yet nothing changed. Today, there is hope. Prosperity is returning to Tema, and the dream of a revived industrial hub is finally a reality,” the spokesperson said.

The group linked the partnership to the government’s 24-Hour Economy policy, arguing that the revival of VALCO would transform the smelter into a multi-shift operation. They projected significant employment gains through a “one job, three shifts” model, alongside expanded production capacity to stem financial losses and strengthen the local economy.

They further drew parallels between the anticipated industrial upswing in Tema and what they described as recent stabilisation of the cedi, framing the development as part of a broader macroeconomic turnaround.

Calling for unity, the Tema NDC grassroots described the VALCO partnership as a national success that transcends partisan lines. They warned that efforts to undermine the initiative would be inimical to progress and contrary to the party’s mission to rebuild the economy.

“We salute the President for his vision and his commitment to the ordinary people of Tema,” the statement said. “The era of empty promises is over; the era of industrial action and prosperity is here.”

The statement was signed by Godwin Adjei, spokesperson for the NDC Tema Grassroots, a group that says it is committed to advancing grassroots empowerment and industrial development within the Tema Metropolis.