President promises Jewellery Village for Tepa

From Edmund Mingle, Tepa

President John Dramani Mahama has assured the people of Tepa of the government’s commitment to establish a modern jewellery village in Tepa, in the Ahafo Ano North District of the Ashanti Region, to boost the jewellery business in the area.

The President said the village would pave the way for the refining of mined minerals in the area, into jewellery, instead of exporting the raw minerals to other countries to be refined.

The establishment of the village, which is captured in the 2016 manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), was expected to advance the jewellery market in the district, and the region in general, and to create sustainable jobs and skills training for the youth.

President Mahama, who gave the assurance at a rally at Tepa on Monday evening as part of his campaign tour of the region, said the government was collaborating with the Jewellery Institute of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to build the village, adding that the chiefs of the area had already provided land for the project.

“With the village here, people from across the country and Africa would now come to Tepa to purchase jewels instead of travelling all the way to Dubai and other foreign locations in the quest for quality jewellery.

“This place will be a robust jewellery market where many, including tourists can visit to purchase jewels,” he said, attracting loud cheers from the teeming supporters.

Ahead of the plan for the jewellery village, the President said many projects in the area, such as the building of roads, schools, clinics, markets and water supply systems had been undertaken, and that foundation for the economic growth of the district had been laid.

“We have done the most difficult part of the work, and what remains is the building on the foundation,” he said.

According to President Mahama the district had benefited from development projects, and urged the people to vote massively to retain the government to continue the good works.

He thanked the chiefs of the area for the support, and assured them that they would not be disappointed in his second term.

The Paramount Chief of Tepa Traditional Area, Nana Adusei Atwenewa Ampem, commended President Mahama for his style of leadership, which he described as very productive.

According to him, the chiefs would continue to support the government in the quest for the development for the area, and prayed for God’s blessings for the President in the impending election.

Earlier, President Mahama visited the Manhyia Palace, where he held a closed door meeting with the Ashantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Hundreds of supporters thronged the rally grounds