NDA proposes shea belt feeder road fund to boost shea processing in Northern Ghana
The Northern Development Authority (NDA) has proposed the establishment of a dedicated Shea Belt Feeder Road Fund to support the rehabilitation and maintenance of feeder roads across five regions in northern Ghana.
The proposal was made during a panel discussion on the second day of the ongoing 2026 World Shea Expo in Tamale, held under the theme, “Scaling Shea Enterprises: Transitioning Informal or Small-Scale Businesses into Competitive, Investment-Ready Enterprises.”
The panel brought together representatives from the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), WACSIR/University for Development Studies (UDS), CORD-GHANA, and the Northern Development Authority. Representing the NDA, Mr. Milad outlined the authority’s mandate to coordinate development initiatives and promote value addition across the shea value chain.
He emphasized the need for coordinated regional planning involving infrastructure, logistics, and enterprise support to transform northern Ghana from a raw-material exporting region into a major shea processing hub.
The NDA proposed that the Shea Belt Feeder Road Fund cover the Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, and Upper West regions, with road maintenance contracts linked to community oversight to ensure sustainability and accountability.
The authority also proposed the establishment of decentralized aggregation and storage hubs in Yendi, Bimbilla, Salaga, and Damango. The proposed solar-powered facilities would feature drying floors, moisture-controlled storage, and grid-tied solar systems to connect shea-producing communities to processing factories.
The panel further approved a Coordinated SME Support Package comprising affordable credit, business development and formalization support through the GEA, technology and productivity training by WACSIR, quality certification, and market linkages.
The NDA was appointed as the sole coordinating body to simplify access to support services and reduce the need for businesses to engage multiple agencies.
