Wa West: Can this Single Action Create 1,000 Jobs and Make the District Richer?

The fear of using small boats on water can deter lots of people from Traveling from Wechiau and Neighboring Communities into Some Communities in Burkina Faso for Business. Trading has been limited in the second most populated Communities in the Upper West Region.

Wa West District has a population of 96,957 based on the 2021 Population and Housing Census, second most populated in Upper West Region behind Wa Municipality.

The District Depends on Farming, Charcoal Burning, Shea Nut, Cashew Harvesting minor markets such as the Nyoli Market, Wechiau Market and the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary for Revenue Mobilization.

Small scale Mining is also on the rise in some Communities such Eggu but has little or no benefit to the Wa West District Assembly Headed by Miss Vida Diorotey.

Not being able to cross over from Dabo or Wechiau to Burkina Faso has limited several Businesses and Opportunities that could earn the Wa West District Assembly millions of Ghana Cedis.

Carrying goods and people across and to other nearby Communities such as Babile, Kalba etc with the use of a Pantoon instead of risky boats without life jackets can be lucrative and create over 1,000 Job opportunities in the area. The project can be initiated by a private entity or the District Assembly with common fund or through grants from some partner stakeholders.

Some Popular goods that can be exported through Wa West District to Burkina Faso Include, Motor Spare Parts, Fertilizer, Soft Drinks, Alcoholic Beverages, Electronics and electrical gadgets, Medications, Fabrics Including smocks, sandals, Building Materials etc.

The District Needs a Pantoon to rake inn more revenue and create jobs by transporting people from Babile to Kalba and Across Wechiau, Dabo into Burkina.

Pontoon boats can range from $12,000(Ghc150,000) to as much as $400,000 for brand new models, including both pontoons and tritoons. On average, you can expect a pontoon to set you back between $15,000 and $35,000 depending on the features, size and motor power you’re interested in.