President John Dramani Mahama has championed Ghana’s investment potential and praised Sentuo Group Executive Chairman Xu Ningquan as he
performed the official sod-cutting for the proposed US$1.3 billion Sentuo Airport Garden City, setting out a vision of modern urban development that delivers jobs and opportunities for Ghanaians.
The ceremony in Accra on Tuesday, September 15, also marked the unveiling of the project’s sales office. Chairman Xu announced that the development was expected to create more than 3,000 jobs, with Ghanaians targeted for the majority of the opportunities.
President Mahama’s remarks placed Sentuo’s latest investment within a wider national ambition; attracting long-term capital, expanding local enterprise and strengthening Ghana’s appeal to international business and tourism.
In a personal tribute to Chairman Xu, the President raised the prospect of a future national honour in recognition of his investment in Ghana.
“Mr Xu, if you haven’t got a national honour yet, I’m considering you for one in the future for your
investment in Ghana,” he said.
The commendation brought national attention to an entrepreneur whose business interests in Ghana span Sentuo Ceramic, Sentuo Steel and Sentuo Oil Refinery, alongside Glass Palace and EU China Town shopping malls across the country. Airport Garden City extends that portfolio into an integrated residential, hospitality and commercial destination.
Marketed as “The Garden Above Accra”, the project is planned to bring homes, hospitality and everyday services together in a landscaped setting. Its proposed facilities include approximately 582 premium apartments, a hotel, a conference centre accommodating 2,500 people, healthcare facilities, shopping areas and recreational amenities.
President Mahama said the expansion of accommodation and conference facilities could
strengthen Accra’s ability to compete for major international gatherings, including United Nations
conferences, and bring more business to Ghana’s tourism and service industries.
He also linked the development to the government’s 24-hour economy and accelerated export development programme, pointing to the scope for hospitality, conferencing, transport, retail and other services to support productive activity beyond conventional working hours.
For Ghanaian workers and businesses, the President set a clear expectation: local participation must be a central measure of the project’s success. He called for qualified Ghanaian engineers, architects, artisans, technicians and suppliers to receive meaningful opportunities.
Speaking of Ghanaian firms and workers with the required competence, he said “they must be
given a fair opportunity to contribute and to grow alongside this investment”.
Chairman Xu’s employment commitments reflected that emphasis. He said the project would introduce apprenticeships and practical training for young Ghanaians, while international specialists would be required to share their expertise with local colleagues.
The aim, he explained, was to retain the skills developed through the investment within Ghana.
The President assured investors that government would work to provide a stable business environment, improve infrastructure and support productive private enterprise. He also announced a review of roads in the airport enclave and central business district to address the growing traffic demands associated with new developments.
With the sales office unveiled, Sentuo also pledged transparent pricing and clear contractual terms for prospective homeowners, including information on property rights, payment obligations, delivery timelines and services after handover.
For Chairman Xu, the development carries an ambition that reaches beyond the construction
site. Sentuo’s stated measures of success include Ghanaian employment, contracts for local businesses, skills development and homes delivered to their owners.
President Mahama likewise urged the developers to ensure that the project’s benefits endure after construction, supporting livelihoods and enterprises across the country. He captured that ambition with the call: “Ghana is open. Accra is rising. Let us build that future together.”
