By Jones Anlimah
The Central Tongu District of the Volta Region, in partnership with VoltagreenCT Development, a US-based Ghanaian firm, has announced plans to undertake a smart-city project in the Volta region.
This is part of efforts to accelerate growth and development in the district, the region and the country at large.
Dubbed: ‘VOLTAGREENCT Project,” the over $10billion project, which is expected to be undertaken in about a 10-year period, is aimed at addressing the housing deficits by building an eco-friendly smart city powered by green energy through solar systems in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region.
The primary objective of the VOLTAGREENCT Project is to help address the housing deficits in the country, the Volta region, and the Central Tongu District while promoting sustainability and eco-friendliness. It also seeks to not only meet housing needs but also set a new standard for urban development in the country.
The Project is thus expected to birth an advanced smart city that will operate on green energy harnessed through state-of-the-art solar systems.
A sod cutting and ground-breaking ceremony has been held at Mafi Anfoe in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region to launch and commence the first phase of the VOLTAGREENCT Project.
The first phase of the estimated 10 billion dollar project includes, but is not limited to the acquisition of about 30,000-acre land and other administrative works with the host district Central Tongu District Assembly among others.
According to officials of VoltagreenCT, the highlights of the city project will be anchored on advanced infrastructure, uninterrupted electricity energy source, clean water, underground drainage, construction of first-class roads, among other facilities that will transform the place into a modern city.
The Chief of Mafi Anfoe in the Central Tongu District of the Volta Region, Togbi Dra Aboetaka IV was happy about the choice of Mafi Anfoe to host the project and assured of a conducive environment in the community to help realise the project.
“We are so much happy and we want to see this project start immediately. I want to assure you that Anfoe is a peaceful village that people can come and develop. Talk about litigation, no there is no litigation here, talk about people killing others because of a piece of land, never because all my stakeholders want development,” he said.
The Central Tongu District Chief Executive, Mr. Thomas Moore Zonyrah, assured the District Assembly’s commitment to realising the project. He made a case for the use of local contents while being upbeat about the benefits of the project to the district, the region and the country at large.
“Seeing myself and my Member of Parliament here, we are co-chairing a committee to facilitate the effective implementation of this project. That local content issue has already been discussed in detail,” Mr Zonyrah said.
He added, “the benefits we can’t mention. Talk of economic benefit, employment, name them. It’s going to solve the problems of the youth, the Assembly and even the problem of the MP so that the high demand on him and myself to pay fees and hospital bills will be reduced to its barest minimum.”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of VoltagreenCT Development, Mr. Nii Okai Parbey, said the VOLTAGREENCT Project will consist of construction of modern, affordable homes, state-of-the art hospitals, recreational facilities, banks, schools, and shopping centres among others. He disclosed that the region was strategically chosen for the project because of its tourism potential.
According to Mr. Parbey, the Project will also help transform Mafi Anfoe and, for that matter, the Volta Region into an internationally competitive tourism destination by harnessing the monumental, historical, and cultural heritage of the region to advance eco-tourism. “We were not expecting the elders, the chiefs and the entire community to welcome us the way they did. Shakespeare once said coming events cast their shadows long before they happen. If that is anything to go by, I want to believe that our project is already a success,” he said.
As the country seeks innovative solutions to its housing challenges and environmental sustainability goals, it is hoped that the VOLTAGREENCT smart city project will not only provide much-needed housing but will also serve as a model for green urban planning, demonstrating the feasibility of harnessing renewable energy sources for a brighter and more sustainable future.
The project is expected to be a collaboration between some foreign and local investors and partners.
