President Mahama cuts sod for Hope City ahead of Chris Brown Concert...

Richard Offei-Addo for The News.

04-03-2013.

President John Dramani Mahama, has  cut the sod for the commencement of the HOPE City Project,  aimed at creating jobs for over 300million youth in Africa.located at Dukunaa off the Mallam-Kasoa road. HOPE city is the acronym of Home Office People Environment. This comes ahead of the launch concert featuring Chris Brown and a host of Ghanaian musicians.
An initiative of Mr. Roland Agambire, Chairman of AGAMS Group and CEO of Rlg Communications Limited, in collaboration with the Government of Ghana, the HOPE City Project is part of the national development policy framework, aimed at turning Ghana into a knowledge-society and an active player in the global economy.
Launching the project, the President Expressed  government’s delight to be part of the project  to transform the  lives of Ghanaians. “This is a dream of an individual just like many of the big projects we see  around but take for granted”
He said today knowledge  is driving the world adding that wealth and economic growth is no longer dependent on the natural resources.
Govt is excited that this project is led by a local company Rlg and the government will offer support to the project and all similar projects.”Govt will continue to support suit indigenous initiatives. This project will enjoy tax incentives and reliefs.” The president noted.
He said the project will complement the national technology park currently going on at tema which is set to make Ghana the ICT hub in sub region.
President Mahama said Hope city was in line with governments determination to work with private the private sector adding that the next stage of Ghana ‘s development will be led by the private sector.
In his address, the chairman o f AGAMS group, and CEO of Rlg Communications Limited, Roland Agambire said the projected estimated at
$10billion is a huge investment into the country.
He added however, that the benefits of the project far exceeds the investment and will long outlive us adding that it is an opportunity that many private partners and governments across Africa can share in.
“Today we have assembled here to make another history, history of giving birth to a new city on the continent; a vertical city in which the continent’s ICT brains will converge, a vertical city where lives are to be built and the tallest city in Africa where the entire future of our noble country and continent will be fashioned”
He expressed the hope that the tax holidays that are extended to attract foreign direct investments into Ghana will be extended to HOPE City to sustain their drive and desire to bring employment and build requisite infrastructure for the nation’s development.
“In this regard, HOPE CIty shall specifically seek the support of government for tax reliefs to ensure that HOPE City is not only completed but completed on time  for ICT to serve as the new economic discovery for Ghana.
Mr Agambire observed that in the telecommunication industry today the Ghanaian pride is missing but Rlg believes it is time Ghanaians took their rightful place in that arena.
Last September, Rlg Communications Limited sealed a crucial partnership with the world’s largest software and programme developer Microsoft Corporation to use the vehicle of Microsoft to export made-in-Ghana and made-in-Africa technologies to the rest of the world.
“What we are seeking to do with HOPE city is to collaborate with Microsoft in a new initiative to create economic opportunities for 300million youth in Africa between the ages of 15 and 24.
Mr Agambire was hopeful that HOPE City will export technologies across the globe adding that “Rlg continues to lift high the flag f Ghana on the international stage.
He said it was time modernise the public sector and create a paperless workplace and further called for the need for African businessmen to begin to form synergies and partnerships to lead the drive for the sustainable growth of the continent.
He said when HOPE city will  have facilities for accommodation, offices, sports as well as spacious demarcated areas for lifestyle, education and creativity, but most importantly, “HOPE city when completed will have equipment and facilities for the design, fabrication and assembling of a number of innovative products including those of ICT hardware and software development.”
Mr. Agambire noted that while bringing modernity and excellence into the design of HOPE city, efforts have been made to incorporate he Ghanaian ingenuity and culture in the architecture as its inspiration.
In HOPE CITY will work 50,000 people and will host 25,000 inhabitants. The cluster is articulated on a plot of 100,000 sqm, developing a total Gross Floor Area of approximately 1,200,000 sqm, for a total built area of approximately 1,500,000 sqm.
The cluster is composed by six towers of different dimensions: one tower of 270 m height (75 storeys, the highest in Africa), two towers of 216 m height (60 storeys) and three towers of 152 m height (42 storeys).
HOPE CITY is designed by Architect OBR as a vertical city composed by towers linked together by a system of bridges at different height, including common activities and amenities, creating an interconnection of different functions from very public to very private.