Why Pulse Ghana was wrong on HOPE City

This article is a rejoinder to a story titled “RLG’s Hope City joins Africa’s herd of white elephant projects” published on Tuesday May 5.

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I have read a story titled “RLG’s Hope City joins Africa’s herd of white elephant projects” by one Abu Mubarik on Pulse Ghana and I wish to offer some few comments in my official capacity, especially so when the authored claimed to have unsuccessfully gotten anyone from the company to respond to his questions. So first of all, while I wish to thank Pulse for using their platform to help propagate one man’s ambitious dream of building a HOPE City, I wish to place on record that as the communications person for the company, I was never contacted by your outfit in connection with the said story.

Secondly, three considerations informed our decision to relocate the project from Dunkunaa to Prampram. Locating a facility of that magnitude in that area would have compounded the already bad traffic situation in the area. Moving the project to Prampram was to ensure that, that part of the city also opens up to development.  The new site had adequate acreage of land, closer to the proposed international air and sea ports and therefore addressed mobility concerns of investors.

Thirdly, the comparison of HOPE City with similar projects in Kenya and Rwanda is not only wrong but malicious. Whereas HOPE City is promoted by a private individual, the Kenya and Rwandan initiatives were being led by their respective governments, and in some case, with some state guarantees.

Again, this project was launched with significant media hype and right from the word go, we made it clear that it was the dream of Roland Agambire who will also be the promoter of that dream. So to go and ask government officials weather they were aware of the project only smacks of sheer malice and mischief.

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Point number 5, we are happy that, if for nothing at all, Pulse was able to locate land for the project, whether “empty” or not. It shows that no matter how slow, that dream of a HOPE City will be fulfilled one day.

The seeming joy over the fact that RLG is in crisis is laughable. Throughout industrial history, and all over the world, companies fall into crisis, even bigger firms do. The important thing is learning the useful lessons and getting out of the crisis.  But it is useful to state that, RLG is still in business, very active in Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, China and in the Middle East where the company’s Global Office is located. As a progressive business, a revision in strategy have meant that we transact business electronically as it is being done globally, especially with regards to the sale of our products. As an online platform yourself, you should know that e-commerce and diversification are the order of the day. Today, the RLG brand has given birth to several other businesses including our two news websites: and undefined, just to mention a few.

Lastly, I wish to echo the very emotional sentiments expressed by the 32-year old Prince Twum and the former Assemblyman, Nicholas Agbozo in the Pulse story saying that they were very excited about HOPE City when it was launched, and that “It would’ve brought many jobs to us here.” It is for people like the two characters you interviewed that is why Roland Agambire has not and will never give up on his big dream to employ people, house them, educate them, all in a HOPE City”.

I trust that you will offer our version of the story same space and audience.

Author: Emmanuel Arthur

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