Nana Kwame Bediako promises to extend sea access to Ashanti Region if elected president

Nana Kwame Bediako, a presidential hopeful and leader of the New Force, has announced an ambitious vision to extend sea access from Ghana's coast to the landlocked Ashanti Region as part of his broader plan to enhance trade infrastructure.

He aims to open Ghana's Eastern and Western Corridors to facilitate trade by bringing maritime transport routes inland.

In an interview with Kojo Marfo

Read full article.on Abusua 96.5 FM in Kumasi, Bediako highlighted his extensive travel experience and cited examples of countries extending their maritime transport routes inland, including Dubai's transformation from desert to coastal city.

Expressing his vision for the Ashanti Region, Bediako emphasised the potential for ships to dock in Kumasi once the sea is dredged to the region, offering a faster and more efficient means of importing and exporting goods.

"I have travelled far and wide. I have seen many countries do that. Even Dubai which was a typical desert now has the sea. That is the kind of vision I have for the Ashanti Region. When we dredge the sea to the region, ships can dock in Kumasi," he said.

He questioned the continued reliance on road transportation for containerised cargo, advocating for the utilisation of sea and rail transport to enhance efficiency and reduce logistical challenges.

"We are in the year 2024. This is not a time people will be driving containers one by one from the Tema Harbour to Kumasi over a six hour journey by road. By the time one container gets here, half of its content are either broken or gone bad. If you had the rails or sea, in one hour five hundred containers will be here. You can also ship out 500 containers in the same fashion," he added.

Bediako also outlined his comprehensive plan to develop infrastructure, including power stations and industries, and stressed the importance of value addition and local manufacturing, particularly in the electronics sector.

Highlighting his track record in industrialisation, including the establishment of the Petronia Industrial Park, Bediako called for support and encouragement for young entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into global enterprises.

Currently on a five-day visit to the Ashanti Region as part of his nationwide listening tour, Bediako aims to engage with ordinary Ghanaians to inform his manifesto for the upcoming national elections in December.