Mahama to commission Northshore Apparel hub in Savelugu, promising 3,000 immediate jobs

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President John Dramani Mahama is set to officially commission the Northshore Apparel Hub in Savelugu on Saturday, a landmark industrial project that is expected to create 3,000 direct jobs in its first phase and inject fresh momentum into Ghana’s struggling textile and garment sector.

The commissioning, which takes place at the sprawling facility located along the Tamale–Savelugu Highway, marks the culmination of a three-year public-private partnership aimed at establishing a vertically integrated garment manufacturing ecosystem in the Northern Region. The hub is poised to become one of the largest apparel production centers in West Africa, with an initial annual capacity of 12 million pieces of finished garments for both the domestic market and international export.

A Boost for Industrialisatio

Speaking ahead of the event, presidential officials described the Northshore Apparel Hub as a flagship project under the administration’s revived industrial transformation agenda. The facility is anchored by a $45 million investment, secured through a joint venture between the Ghanaian government and a consortium of international textile manufacturers headquartered in Turkey and Vietnam.

Beyond the creation of 3,000 immediate jobs—ranging from sewing operators and quality controllers to logistics and administrative staff—the hub is expected to generate over 8,000 indirect livelihoods in the Savelugu and surrounding districts. This includes roles in cotton farming, transport, and local supply chain services, particularly as the facility intends to source a significant portion of its raw cotton from local farmers in the Northern Region.

Strategic Significance for the North

The choice of Savelugu is highly strategic. For decades, the Northern Region has served as a primary source of raw cotton but has lacked the industrial infrastructure to process and transform that cotton into finished goods. The Northshore Apparel Hub is designed to bridge that gap, effectively ending the practice of exporting raw cotton overseas only to re-import finished garments at premium prices.

Local traditional authorities and municipal officials have hailed the project as a game-changer for youth employment in an area where formal job opportunities remain scarce. Savelugu Municipal Chief Executive, who will be in attendance, noted that the hub includes an on-site training academy that has already enrolled 800 young Ghanaians in six-month intensive skills programmes in industrial sewing and machine maintenance.

President Mahama’s Vision

In his remarks expected during the commissioning ceremony, President Mahama is set to highlight the hub as a concrete demonstration of his commitment to “Ghana Beyond Aid” through value-addition and job creation. Sources close to the presidency indicate the President will also use the occasion to announce additional tax incentives for local garment manufacturers who source at least 60% of their raw materials domestically.

The President is also expected to tour the facility’s state-of-the-art production floor, which features automated cutting machines, solar-powered drying units, and a water recycling system—making the hub one of the most environmentally sustainable apparel factories on the continent.

Industry Watchdogs Optimistic

Industry analysts have welcomed the development, noting that Ghana’s textile sector has lost over 20,000 jobs over the past decade due to competition from cheap imports and de-industrialisation. The Northshore Apparel Hub is being closely watched as a potential blueprint for reviving the sector, with the government signalling plans to replicate the model in other regions, including Ashanti and Volta, in the coming years.

The commissioning ceremony is expected to draw a high-profile attendance, including ministers of trade and industry, the Northern Regional Minister, representatives from the private sector, and diplomatic dignitaries from Turkey and Vietnam.

As the ribbon is cut on Saturday, all eyes will be on Savelugu—a town that, for the first time in its history, is stepping into the limelight as a proud manufacturing base for a new generation of Ghanaian-made apparel.