The Volta Region is laying the groundwork for its maiden Volta Economic Forum, slated for October 31, 2025, with stakeholders describing the event as a turning point in the region’s quest to attract investment, drive industrialisation and open up the Volta economic corridor to national and international markets.

Ahead of the forum, a retreat for all 18 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) was held at the Eli Beach Hotel in Tegbi to prepare local leaders to effectively engage with the investment community, policymakers and development partners.

Coordinator of the programme, Francis Senanu Dekutse, said the retreat was a deliberate step to ensure that MMDCEs are well-prepared to present investment-ready opportunities during the main forum.

“This is just a preview of the big event on the 31st of October. We want to position the Volta Region, especially the Volta corridor, to be ready for Ghana’s 24-hour economy policy. The idea is to expose the region’s economic potentials to investors and policymakers and ensure that all 18 MMDCEs, not just a few, are equipped to take advantage,” he explained.

Mr Dekutse further noted that the forum will not be a one-off occasion. Through the Volta Corridor Investment Forum, similar sessions will be organised quarterly and semi-annually to sustain investor confidence and keep momentum on infrastructure, youth and women empowerment, and industrialisation projects.

The Chief Executive Officer of Exim Bank, Sylvester Adinam Mensah, highlighted the strategic role of the Bank in supporting the forum’s objectives. He stressed that the Bank is committed to financing projects that accelerate exports, promote agro-processing and drive import substitution in line with the government’s reset agenda.

“We are looking at supporting rice production and other crops, but more importantly, ensuring that processing is done here in the Volta Region to add value. This way, we strengthen food security, create jobs and also generate foreign exchange through exports,” Mr. Mensah said.

For the Volta Region representative to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Elikplim Kwabla Apetorgbor, the retreat was about equipping leaders with the skills to bridge politics and business.

“No one arms an untrained soldier. We are preparing our MMDCEs to engage confidently with investors and the private sector. The forum will bring Ghana’s investment community to the Volta Region, and our local leaders must be ready to convince them to commit real investments that benefit our people,” he said.

The Volta Economic Forum is expected to attract government officials, the diplomatic corps, international investors, and local entrepreneurs. Key themes will include infrastructure, agro-processing, industrialisation, youth and women empowerment, and strategies to fully leverage the Volta corridor for the 24-hour economy.

Organisers believe the forum will mark the beginning of a new chapter for the region, positioning Volta as a hub for investment and economic growth while giving MMDCEs the capacity to turn opportunities into tangible results for their districts.