The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Awatey, is calling on traditional authorities to prioritize industrial growth by making lands readily available and secure for investors.
This appeal comes as illegal land encroachment in Ghana-driven by rapid urbanization and real estate demand—increasingly threatens agricultural sustainability, food security, and large-scale public investment.
The Minister’s admonition emphasis a growing crisis where arable lands, particularly in peri-urban areas, are being rapidly converted into residential developments.
This shift is stifling agro-processing industries that rely solely on consistent agricultural yields.
A primary victim of this trend is Blue Skies Products Ghana Limited in Nsawam. Illegal encroachers have seized 50 acres of land belonging to the fruit processing company—land specifically earmarked for farming and a massive industrial expansion.
Blue Skies has long been a lifeline for the Nsawam community, employing thousands of local youth. The company’s vision was to scale up by building an ultra-modern factory designed to create over 3,000 additional jobs.
However, that dream is currently being buried under unauthorized concrete and mortar.
Head of Corporate Affairs at Blue Skies, Mr. Alistair Djimatey, expressed deep frustration over the brazen nature of the encroachers.
According to him, the illegal structures are not just occupying space; they are actively dismantling the company’s production capacity and future growth.
While the Regional Minister acknowledges the plight of businesses, she maintains that the solution starts with the custodians of the land.
