By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
The Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA) has opened its new Tamale Zonal Office, a move expected to significantly boost economic activity, value addition, and job creation across the five northern regions.
The new office commissioned under the leadership of Dr. Andy Osei Okrah, Chief Executive Officer of TCDA will serve as the Authority’s northern operational hub, bringing regulatory services, stakeholder coordination, and extension support closer to Shea value chain actors.
Dr. Okrah said the Tamale office will not only decentralize TCDA operations but also accelerate industrial partnerships, expand opportunities for young people, and strengthen the Shea industry’s contribution to national development.
He revealed that the zonal office is designed to function as a coordination and training centre, supporting capacity-building in processing, packaging, marketing, and export readiness. Through these interventions, TCDA expects to facilitate over a thousand direct and indirect jobs across the Shea ecosystem, from nut collection and aggregation to processing and trading.
He further linked the initiative to the broader development priorities of President John Dramani Mahama under the Agriculture for Economic Transformation Agenda (AETA), noting that the new office reflects government’s push for value addition, inclusive industrialisation, and rural empowerment.
Board Chair of TCDA, Prof. William Oduro, commended management for showing foresight in advancing the Authority’s mandate. He reiterated the Board’s commitment to ensuring that the new office strengthens the Shea industry and propels the Authority’s vision of moving “TCDA Beyond Cocoa.”
Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Ali Adolf John, who delivered the keynote address, described the zonal office as a strategic step toward sustainable agriculture and expanded economic opportunities. He said TCDA’s presence in Tamale would enhance the cultivation, processing, and marketing of Shea, boosting incomes and employment for local communities.
The event brought together several industry leaders, including Hajia Rabiatu Abukari, President of the Shea Employers Association of Ghana; Dr. Emmanuel Abeere-Inga, CEO of the Northern Development Authority; and Alhaji Imoro Issifu, Chairman of the Shea Value Chain Subcommittee of TCDA.
