Hogbetsotso: Volta Economic Zone Will Transform Ghana, Improve Livelihoods – Julius Debrah
Chief of Staff says Volta Economic Zone will unlock the full potential of the Volta Lake and transform Ghana’s economy under the 24-hour policy.
- Julius Debrah says the Volta Economic Zone will revolutionize regional and national development.
- The initiative will develop Volta Lake into a major industrial, agricultural, and transport hub.
- Hogbetsotso 2025 celebrations highlighted culture, unity, and the region’s growing economic prospects.
Chief of Staff Julius Debrah has expressed strong optimism that the establishment of the Volta Economic Zone will become a game-changer for Ghana’s economic growth and a major catalyst for improving livelihoods in the Volta Region.
Speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama at the Grand Durbar of the 2025 Hogbetsotso Festival in Anloga, Mr. Debrah described the initiative as a cornerstone of the government’s 24-hour economy policy and a transformative opportunity for regional development.
“My prayer is that once we are able to support him [President Mahama] and create the Volta Economic Zone, Ghana will change dramatically—and so will our lifestyle,” he stated.
The proposed Volta Economic Zone is part of a larger strategy to unlock the vast potential of the Volta Lake and its basin, positioning it as an industrial and logistics hub to drive national productivity.
Although the Volta Lake has long been vital for hydroelectric power generation, the government aims to extend its benefits beyond energy to agriculture, manufacturing, and trade. The Volta Economic Corridor, a core component of the initiative, will focus on:
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Cultivating over two million hectares of lakeside farmland;
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Revitalising fisheries for domestic and export markets;
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Developing industrial parks to process agricultural produce and manufacture essential goods.
The project will also see the Volta Lake transformed into a major transport corridor, linking northern food-producing zones to southern markets and export terminals. This is expected to reduce logistics costs, boost trade efficiency, and create jobs across multiple sectors.
Mr. Debrah’s comments came amid the vibrant celebrations of Hogbetsotso Za 2025, which turned the Anloga–Keta corridor into a lively centre of culture, commerce, and heritage. Held under the theme “Building Bridges: From a Common History to a Common Destiny,” the festival drew thousands of local and international visitors.
The week-long festivities featured street carnivals, unity concerts, children’s durbars, and traditional rites, injecting fresh energy into the local economy. Hotels, restaurants, and traders all reported brisk business, demonstrating the festival’s power to stimulate tourism and economic activity.
Traditional leaders at the durbar emphasized unity and development, with renewed calls for the government to upgrade the Ohawu Agricultural College into a university, to promote agricultural innovation, research, and job creation in the region.
