The Chief Executive for the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Elijah Adansi-Bonah, was joined by the Member of Parliament for the Obuasi West constituency, Kwaku Kwarteng, to commission the Obuasi Artisan Center.
The project, popularly known as the Obuasi Magazine, is expected to serve as an industrial cluster for mechanics and spare parts dealers in Obuasi and beyond.
It has a well-fitted water closet toilet facility and mechanized borehole. Electricity has also been extended to the site which covers several acres of land.
Expected to create thousands of jobs, the Obuasi Artisans Center feeds into the local economic development plans of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly which is geared towards diversifying the economy of Obuasi and wean it off its over-dependence on the Obuasi Mine.
According to the MCE, the plant to develop the Center and relocate all the mechanics and spare parts dealers in Obuasi had been in the books of the Assembly for a very long time hence he decided to pay so much attention to it by investing in it.
“The project started long time ago but I had to pay special attention to it by investing so much in it,” Mr Adansi-Bonah said.
“We did this to make it conducive to accommodate the mechanics who will work here,” the MCE emphasized.
Throwing more light on the importance of the project, he said the Artisan Center will serve as a one-stop shop for vehicle repairs and servicing as well as the sale of spare parts.
This, he said, will also boost revenue generation of the Assembly through the collection of tolls and permits.
The Member of Parliament for the Obuasi West Constituency, Kwaku Kwarteng, who was upbeat about the future prospects of the Artisan center, said the project lends credence to the industrialization drive pursued by the government.
He admonished the mechanics to make the place vibrant to attract more people and investors whiles opening up the New Biakoyeden community to attract more infrastructural projects.
“We have decided to build a school here whiles the road linking the center will see a major facelift. All these are the expected outcomes of having the artisan center here.”
On his part, the chairman of the Obuasi West Garages Association, James Opoku Apraku, commended the Obuasi Municipal Assembly for committing more resources into the project.
He said the site with the amenities available was enough to accommodate more of their members and other mechanics.
