Funds for the construction of a 1.5-billion dollar World Trade Centre and Tourist Complex in Accra is ready, says Togbe Afede XIV, Paramount Chief of Ho Asogli Traditional area and initiator of the project.
Briefing the Minister of Toursim, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi in Accra yesterday on the employment potential of the project, Togbe Afede said the project would be located on a 160-acre land stretching from the Castle Frontage along the Beach Front to the Arts Centre.
He said the project, known as the Gold Coast City Project, was expected to provide social, physical, sanitary and commercial infrastructures that would attract investment and tourists into the country.
“It will also support infrastructures for the oil find and its allied investments,” he added.
Togbe Afede disclosed that the World Trade Centre Association, based in New York had awarded Strategic Initiatives Limited the exclusive licence to build the Centre in Ghana.
He said funds for the project had been sourced from Shuguang Proprietary Group Co. Ltd, Guogiang Construction Group Co. Ltd and the Shanghai Sunbridge Development and Investment Co. Ltd.
Togbe Afede said the project was initially to be located in either Dubai, Angola or Thailand but he managed to convince the financiers to bring it to Ghana.
He said the project, when completed, would comprise 124 units of villas, three units of 18-floor high-rise apartment blocks of 216 flats, 10 units of five-floor cascade apartment blocks of 260 flats, three-floor shopping mall with ice hockey and ice skating centre, and a 21-floor World Trade Centre.
He said other facilities would be a six-floor 500 room five star hotel, a four-floor school building, a mini-golf course, a 15-floor office complex for the Ministry of Tourism, conference and exhibition centres, and recreational as well as marina facilities.
Togbe Afede said the private-public partnership venture would no doubt generate employment during its construction and operation, provide revenue for the country and facilities for the location of international business community, improve facilities for the hospitality industry and attract more investment on trade and tourism.
He also said it would also modernise the Beach Front and attract international conferences and exhibitions to Accra and position the capital better as the trade and economic hub in the West African sub-region while enhancing the image and profile of the country.
Mrs. Okaikoi said she believed the Gold Coast City Project, when completed, would be of immense benefit to the country and citizens.
She said President Mills had vowed to involve chiefs in the development agenda of the nation, adding “we are still negotiating the terms of equity to enable the Ga-Marshie and Osu chiefs on one hand and the investors on the other hand to benefit.”
The Minister disclosed that a 55-million dollar fund had been sourced to relocate government offices and clear other unauthorized structures on the land for the project to commenced.
Mr. Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Tourism, for his part said the introduction of a marina in the project would attract rich people who made stop overs in their luxury boats to refuel, restock food and water.
He said the project would take four to five years to complete, adding that it should have commenced in next month but due to some technical hitches it would have to delay a little.
The chiefs of Osu and Ga-Mashie were represented by Nii Oquaye, stool secretary, and Henry Nii Yartey respectively, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, the owners of the land on which the project will be sited.
They both expressed appreciation for the multi-billion dollar project and said assured of the cooperation of the chiefs and their people with the investors.
They asked the government to ensure the commencement of the project this year regretting that it could not commence in March last year as originally planned.
Briefing the Minister of Toursim, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi in Accra yesterday on the employment potential of the project, Togbe Afede said the project would be located on a 160-acre land stretching from the Castle Frontage along the Beach Front to the Arts Centre.
He said the project, known as the Gold Coast City Project, was expected to provide social, physical, sanitary and commercial infrastructures that would attract investment and tourists into the country.
“It will also support infrastructures for the oil find and its allied investments,” he added.
Togbe Afede disclosed that the World Trade Centre Association, based in New York had awarded Strategic Initiatives Limited the exclusive licence to build the Centre in Ghana.
He said funds for the project had been sourced from Shuguang Proprietary Group Co. Ltd, Guogiang Construction Group Co. Ltd and the Shanghai Sunbridge Development and Investment Co. Ltd.
Togbe Afede said the project was initially to be located in either Dubai, Angola or Thailand but he managed to convince the financiers to bring it to Ghana.
He said the project, when completed, would comprise 124 units of villas, three units of 18-floor high-rise apartment blocks of 216 flats, 10 units of five-floor cascade apartment blocks of 260 flats, three-floor shopping mall with ice hockey and ice skating centre, and a 21-floor World Trade Centre.
He said other facilities would be a six-floor 500 room five star hotel, a four-floor school building, a mini-golf course, a 15-floor office complex for the Ministry of Tourism, conference and exhibition centres, and recreational as well as marina facilities.
Togbe Afede said the private-public partnership venture would no doubt generate employment during its construction and operation, provide revenue for the country and facilities for the location of international business community, improve facilities for the hospitality industry and attract more investment on trade and tourism.
He also said it would also modernise the Beach Front and attract international conferences and exhibitions to Accra and position the capital better as the trade and economic hub in the West African sub-region while enhancing the image and profile of the country.
Mrs. Okaikoi said she believed the Gold Coast City Project, when completed, would be of immense benefit to the country and citizens.
She said President Mills had vowed to involve chiefs in the development agenda of the nation, adding “we are still negotiating the terms of equity to enable the Ga-Marshie and Osu chiefs on one hand and the investors on the other hand to benefit.”
The Minister disclosed that a 55-million dollar fund had been sourced to relocate government offices and clear other unauthorized structures on the land for the project to commenced.
Mr. Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Tourism, for his part said the introduction of a marina in the project would attract rich people who made stop overs in their luxury boats to refuel, restock food and water.
He said the project would take four to five years to complete, adding that it should have commenced in next month but due to some technical hitches it would have to delay a little.
The chiefs of Osu and Ga-Mashie were represented by Nii Oquaye, stool secretary, and Henry Nii Yartey respectively, who spoke on behalf of the chiefs, the owners of the land on which the project will be sited.
They both expressed appreciation for the multi-billion dollar project and said assured of the cooperation of the chiefs and their people with the investors.
They asked the government to ensure the commencement of the project this year regretting that it could not commence in March last year as originally planned.
