President Mahama Launches Upper West ‘Sheapark’ Resource Hub to Empower Women and Youth
President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the Upper West Shea Park Resource Hub, a transformative initiative aimed at boosting regional development, women’s empowerment, and youth employment in the Upper West Region.
Speaking at the launch, President Mahama emphasized that, the Upper West Shea Park Resource Hub is designed to shift the shea industry from raw extraction to value addition, creating a modern agro-industrial ecosystem that integrates processing, storage, quality control, and market access. According to President Mahama, “This hub represents a decisive shift from raw extraction to value addition, from informality to enterprise, and from subsistence activity to agro-industrial production.”
The facility is expected to empower over 7,000 women, support thousands of youth jobs, and expand value chains for shea and other local products including groundnuts, soybeans, sorghum, cotton, and honey. “Women are not just beneficiaries of this project—they are the foundation,” President Mahama emphasized. “Traditionally, it is our women who have been at the heart of the shea industry. This hub will give them the tools, training, and support to take full control of the value chain.”
In a move to protect the shea trees that form the backbone of the industry, the President lauded the Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV. The Paramount Chief of the Waala Traditional Area and Overlord of the Wa Traditional Council in the Uzper West Region, Wa naa’s declaration making the felling of shea trees a criminal offense. “I thank my father, the Wanaa, for making a declaration that we should make the chopping down of shea trees a crime,” he said. “We must protect this precious resource for generations to come.”
The hub also aligns with President Mahama’s broader economic vision, including the 24-Hour Economy Initiative. “This project will operate across shifts, creating round-the-clock employment opportunities and tackling one of the root causes of migration and economic dislocation in Northern Ghana,” he noted.
Other highlights of the initiative include the provision of 3,000 Wellington boots and 3,200 gloves for women shea pickers to protect them from snake and scorpion bites, and the planned Women’s Bank to provide targeted financial support during shea harvesting seasons. “During the season, women will be given small credits so that they can go into the bush, pick the shea nuts safely, and bring them to market,” the President explained.
President Mahama also highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects in the region, including the Wa-Techima-Wenchi and Wa-Bolgatanga roads, and announced that Wa will benefit from a new airport under the recently passed Airport Infrastructure Levy. “With the construction of a new airport, the Upper West Region will be better connected, supporting trade, investment, and regional growth,” he said.
President urged all stakeholders to work together to ensure the hub delivers lasting value. “Let us ensure that the Upper West Shea Park Resource Hub becomes a beacon of inclusive growth, women’s empowerment, youth employment, and regional transformation,” he said.
