A member of the Council of State representing the Volta Region, Gabriel Tanko Kwamigah-Atokple, has called for targeted investments that create jobs, transfer skills and technology, and support the growth of local businesses.

He said attracting investors should not be an end in itself, arguing that the value of every investment must be measured by its tangible contribution to communities and the wider economy.

Mr Kwamigah-Atokple made the call while addressing the 2026 conference of the Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA) in Maryland, United States.

“We should not be interested merely in announcing that an investor has come to Ghana. The real question is what that investment will produce,” he said.

He said stakeholders should assess proposed investments based on their potential to create employment, transfer skills, develop local suppliers, introduce new technologies, increase production and open international markets to Ghanaian businesses.

“Those are the questions that should guide our search for investment,” he stated.

Mr Kwamigah-Atokple said the Volta Region had an energetic youth population and significant potential in agriculture, tourism, education, healthcare and technology.

He cited the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) as an example of an institution that provides a strong foundation for expanding health education and research, but said the region needed stronger connections to capital, expertise, technology and markets.

“We want to see more investors from America, Europe and Asia coming to the Volta Region, not simply to visit, but to identify serious opportunities and establish productive businesses,” he said.

Stronger institutional partnerships

The Council of State member also advocated closer collaboration between educational and research institutions in Ghana and their counterparts in North America.

He said such partnerships could strengthen local institutions while creating opportunities for young entrepreneurs through mentorship, professional networks and business development support.

“I want to see young entrepreneurs in our region benefiting from mentorship and professional networks abroad. I want to see Ghanaian universities and research institutions working more closely with their counterparts in North America,” he said.

Mr Kwamigah-Atokple urged members of the Ghanaian diaspora to leverage their expertise, financial resources and international networks to support development in the Volta Region.

He noted that the diaspora included doctors, engineers, academics, lawyers, entrepreneurs, researchers, financial professionals and technology experts whose knowledge and experience could help strengthen institutions and businesses at home.

He said Ghanaians abroad did not necessarily have to relocate permanently to contribute to development, but could share expertise, mentor entrepreneurs, link institutions and introduce credible investors to viable projects.

“The young person in Anloga, Ho, Keta, Kpando, Aflao, Abutia or anywhere else in the Volta Region does not need another speech telling them that Ghana has potential. That young person needs an opportunity,” he said.

Focus on sustainable investments

Mr Kwamigah-Atokple further stressed the need for investments and development projects to be sustainable and capable of continuing beyond their founders.

He challenged CEANA to transform its professional relationships and networks into practical partnerships, investments and employment opportunities that would create lasting benefits for communities and future generations.

He said the focus should ultimately be on building businesses, institutions and opportunities capable of generating jobs, transferring knowledge and strengthening the economic prospects of the Volta Region.