Two months after assuming the role of Upper West Regional Minister, Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing has offered a comprehensive account of his early efforts to drive development across key sectors of the region.
From revising dormant industries to addressing educational infrastructure deficits and tightening security, the Regional Minister appears determined to chart a pragmatic path toward sustainable economic transformation in Ghana’s northernmost territory.
“We should be able to get a soya factory in Funsi, Wa East. We should be able to get a corn factory or mill in Sissala West and the last one is what I call my baby, which is that I want to revive cotton as also a means of livelihood”
Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing, Upper West Regional Minister
In a recent media engagement, Charles Lwanga gave the clearest indication yet of how he intends to translate his vision into concrete gains for the people of the Upper West Region.
At the heart of his strategy are agriculture, agribusiness, energy, health, education, and security sectors which he has described as the “pillars of regional revitalisation.”
The proposed industrial plants, a soya factory in Wa East and a corn mill in Sissala West, are expected to provide crucial value addition to local crops, reduce post-harvest losses, and generate jobs.
However, it is the cotton revival project that the Minister appears most invested in.
Cotton Dreams and Dormant Machines
At the centre of Lwanga’s agricultural agenda is the revival of the Tumu Cotton Ginnery, a once-thriving facility that operated for 30 years before falling into disuse following the collapse of the Ghana Cotton Company Limited in 2011.
The ginnery, established over four decades ago, was designed to add value to cotton cultivated within the Sisala enclave and to anchor employment across the region.
Since its closure, the facility’s massive machines have remained locked and unused, while other critical equipment, including tractors, have been left exposed to the elements.
Attempts by previous administrations to resuscitate the ginnery have repeatedly failed.
“Currently, with the cotton ginnery, we do not know what the relationship is with the current occupants and the previous government. When the committee is set up – we will be looking at ownership, looking at the nature of the equipment, even though I know up to now it will be obsolete”
Hon. Charles Lwanga Puozuing, Upper West Regional Minister
The Minister disclosed that a committee, likely to be chaired by retired agricultural expert Professor Roger Kanton, will soon be established to assess the state of the facility and determine how best to retool the ginnery with modern equipment.
The revival effort has already attracted the interest of the UNHCR, which has drawn inspiration from the cotton-driven economies of countries like Benin and is exploring ways to support the initiative in Ghana.
Beyond production, the committee will also explore the viability of launching government-owned plantations in the early stages before eventually opening the sector to private participation.
Tackling Educational Gaps
In education, Charles Lwanga has also moved swiftly to lobby for investment in institutional infrastructure.
Particular attention is being given to Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University, which “remains the only technical university in the country without hostel facilities.”
According to the Minister, two proposals have already been submitted to the Ministry of Education, which has expressed readiness to support infrastructure improvements at both the Technical University and the Upper West Regional campus of UBIS.
Hostel facilities, he stressed, will increase student enrollment, reduce accommodation difficulties, and “bolster the local economy.”
Security Reinforcements
On matters of security, Charles Lwanga also reported progress. A patrol team has been deployed along the Sissala West belt in response to recent robbery incidents.
The measure, he said, has already resulted in a reduction of road-related crimes in the area.
While still in the early days of his tenure, Charles Lwanga’s opening moves suggest a focused and hands-on approach to leadership.
Whether through industrial revitalization, educational reform, or improved regional security, his administration is visibly committed to addressing the longstanding developmental deficits that have plagued the Upper West Region for years.
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