In the heart of Ghana’s Ahafo Region, a vision for job creation and economic growth lies in ruins. The Tanoso Bricks and Tiles Factory, a flagship project under the District One Factory Policy (1D1F) initiative, has been left to wither away, a victim of implementation challenges and funding woes.
Started in 2017-2018, the factory was meant to produce bricks, tiles, and ceramics for both local and international markets. The project, undertaken through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), had generated high hopes among the local community, who saw it as a beacon of employment opportunities.
However, a visit to the site reveals a starkly different reality. The offices, once nearly 80% complete, now stand as a testament to neglect and abandonment. Weeds overgrow the premises, walls crack, and electrical wires hang limply. The main gates are broken, glass windows shattered, and polytanks lie idle.
The local inhabitants, predominantly farmers and earthenware producers, are heartbroken. They had eagerly anticipated the factory’s completion, expecting it to provide much-needed jobs. Instead, they’re left to witness the project’s slow decay.
“We’re weeping, seeing the project abandoned,” says a resident, Abubakari. “During construction, it employed many people, and the community was bustling with activity. We’re disappointed.”
Nana Kwabeng Peni, the Adontehene of Tanoso Traditional Area, echoes these sentiments. “The project is abandoned, contrary to our expectations. We plead with the government, NGOs, and investors to help complete it and give jobs to our people.”
Yaa Augustina, another resident, adds, “Such a heavy investment is being wasted while our youth go jobless, engaging in social vices. We implore the government to allow the PPP to work and give jobs to the people.”
The factory’s fate hangs in the balance, a symbol of the challenges facing Ghana’s industrialization efforts. As the nation looks to revitalize its economy, the Tanoso Bricks and Tiles Factory serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of follow-through and investment in infrastructure projects.
Will the factory be revived, or will it remain a testament to abandoned dreams? Only time will tell.