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Distell Group�s Africa, producers of Amarula, Hunter�s and Savannah, is opening a new bottling plant in Ghana. In partnership with the Finatrade Group, the company, which is trading as Distell Ghana, would be bottling Hunter�s, Savannah as well as Knights Whisky and Royal Reserve range of spirits for distribution in Ghana and neighbouring countries. At a brief ceremony held in Accra Saturday night, Mr Burton Swain, Distell Ghana Country Manager said the investment, which is over GH₵16 million, would not only bring the company�s popular brands to West Africa�s retail and hospitality sectors, but also make it possible for the company to produce local spirits at relevant prices. �According to Ghana�s Ministry of Finance, GDP has been averaging 7% in recent years, well ahead of Sub-Sahara Africa�s average of 4.9%, indicating significant opportunity for Distell to raise its profile here.� He said the company would be employing 98% of its workforce locally, adding that the joint venture with Finatrade had created 100 new jobs. He added that the company was focusing on building new skills and helping to boost the country� s manufacturing sector, saying that some of the raw materials would be sourced locally. Mr Swain also said the investment would provide a springboard for further penetration of Distell brands in neighbouring Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso and Cote d�Ivoire. He said: �Distell Ghana will combine its solid production and marketing expertise with the local marketing, sales and distribution knowledge of its partner - Finatrade - to bring top-quality products at competitive prices unto the Ghanaian market.� Mr Fouad Moufarij, Managing Director of Market Direct, the distribution arm of Finatrade, said the investment was geared towards making Ghana an economic hub for West Africa. He added that they believed in the industry, which was why they decided to establish the bottling plant in Ghana, to create jobs and make the country self-sufficient.