The Chief Executive Officer of Ghana EXIM Bank, Sylvester Adinam Mensah, says plans are under way to establish a garment and apparel factory in the Volta Region following the commissioning of a similar facility in the Northern Region.

Speaking at the Volta Economic Forum in Ho on Wednesday, Mr Mensah said President John Dramani Mahama hoped the next factory would be located in the Volta Region to create jobs and support local production.

"As you observed in the Northern Region, through the instrumentality of Ghana Exim Bank, we established a garment and apparel factory to address significant employment opportunities. Indeed, this falls within President John Dramani Mahama's Reset Agenda, and it is our hope that the next garment and apparel factory will be sited in the Volta Region," he disclosed.

His announcement came as he urged stakeholders to move beyond discussing the region’s economic potential and begin developing projects that could turn it into a centre for production, exports and job creation.

"The project will create jobs across southern Volta, drawing workers from Keta, Anloga, Denu, Afiadenyigba, Abor, Akatsi, Klikor, Agbozume, Dabala and Dzodze," he said.

The forum formed part of the activities marking this year’s yam festival and was held under the theme “Transforming Potentials into Wealth for the Volta Region”.

President Mahama recently commissioned the Northshore Apparel Hub at Savelugu in the Northern Region. The wholly Ghanaian-owned facility, described as the country’s first regenerative, zero-waste apparel manufacturing hub, has already created more than 2,300 direct jobs.

The Savelugu factory is designed to operate around the clock, with staff working in shifts. It produces garments for local and international markets and was funded by Ghana EXIM Bank, German Development Bank KfW and the Agricultural Development Bank.