Togbe Afede XIV, Agbogbomefia of Asogli State, has called for stronger cooperation, coordination and selfless commitment among stakeholders to accelerate economic development in the Volta Region.

The call was made at the Volta Economic Forum in Ho on Wednesday, September 23, which seeks to move beyond identifying and showcasing economic opportunities to actual investment execution in the Volta Corridor, under the theme: “From Opportunity Showcase to Investment Execution.”

Togbe Afede, Chairman of the occasion, said the Forum provided an important platform for mobilising human and financial resources to create an environment that attracted businesses, generated jobs, improved social amenities, raised incomes and enhanced living standards in the region.

He commended the organisers, led by Dr Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, Commissioner and Volta Regional Representative at the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), for bringing stakeholders together, saying the region possessed significant opportunities in agriculture, tourism, infrastructure, energy and trade that required coordinated investment to translate them into tangible development.

The Agbogbomefia identified the proposed Keta Harbour, improved railway connectivity, the Eastern Corridor Road, agricultural development and energy projects as initiatives with potential to transform the region, stressing the need for sustained efforts to attract investors and develop the necessary infrastructure.

He recalled previous attempts by prominent citizens and traditional leaders to mobilise resources for regional development, including the Volta Forum and the Volta Development Agency, saying some initiatives could not achieve their objectives partly due to inadequate cooperation and coordination among stakeholders.

Togbe Afede also paid tribute to the late Mr Raymond Okudzeto, whom he described as passionate about regional development, particularly the Keta Harbour project, and said current efforts to mobilise investors for the project required continued collaboration among traditional authorities, government and the private sector.

He urged stakeholders to coordinate the various development initiatives being pursued in the region rather than operating in competition, and called on Voltarians to embrace honesty, hard work, humility, education, love and perseverance.

He said collective commitment was essential to transforming the region’s human and natural resources into sustainable development.