The 54-year-old Stool father of the Fodzoku Traditional Area in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region has recounted the trying times of his life that turned him into a multi-millionaire.
Togbe Vugbagba Wugah Kwadzo worked with the Agricultural Development Company Limited (ADCL) and Kpong Farms Limited (KFL), both operated by the Volta River Authority as a security person. The two companies are now defunct.
Much of his youth was invested in odd jobs while he maintained his security man job to guarantee his own financial security.
Those days, it could take him over an hour to trek to work on foot. But things got better when he acquired a Phoenix bicycle, which made the journey to work at Kpong Farms, sited near Akuse, much easier.
Kpong Farms Limited (KFL), incorporated in May 1982 by the VRA as a wholly-owned agricultural commercial venture, carried out mechanized commercial farming, agro-processing, and provided machinery services.
The population of Fodzoku is currently estimated at about 5,000 with most of the residents into fishing and crop farming as their major preoccupation.
The collapse of the two state agencies at separate periods led to job losses for the many who were engaged at various levels of production. This compelled Togbe Wugbagba to explore other avenues to make money. His fine fishing skills came handy.
With the benefit of hindsight, the collapse presented the change his life needed in 2001. He immediately thought of cattle rearing and started it. Later he added piggery to it.
This is when his fortunes turnaround began. It, however, came at a time that his energy level was not at the peak compared to when he was keeping watch over the former state farms as a security officer.
After 16 years, the man who once saw abject poverty staring him in the face daily is today considered wealthy not in the Fodzoku community alone but in the adjoining towns such as Juapong and even the national capital, Accra.
Today, Togbe Vugbagba Wugah Kwadzo’s cattle and piggery numbering over 200 continue to multiply by the day.
With a disciplined schedule, he’s usually up by 4 a.m. to clean the pens and to feed the pigs with the help of his workers most of whom also live close to the farm.
After that, he immediately got into the business of animal slaughtering. He then bags them neatly in kilos before they are delivered to clients. His wife also supports his business by rearing goats.
Togbe Vugbagba receives orders from his clients who include ‘big time’ restaurants and eateries in Accra for the supply of tonnes of slaughtered meat.
Interacting with Myjoyonline.com’s Jerry Tsatro Mordy who paid a visit to his farm, Togbe Vugbagba revealed he saves at least GHȻ2,000 each day, something he would have found very difficult bank his entire life if he was still working as a security officer.
He was in Accra recently to negotiate a contract with a potential client, which could add about GHȻ30,000 every three weeks to his fortune if he was able to deliver the required quantities, he revealed
But he is not in a hurry he said, explaining that he “needed to be certain about other factors before accepting to take it up.”
He has a building on site which accommodates himself and his family. Despite the wealth, Togbe Vugbagba says his ambition is just to make sure he has enough to cater to the needs of his family as well as the educational needs of his children, rather than accumulating more wealth.
This is a lucrative venture and he wished youth in the area would be encouraged by this and start their own venture and invest the proceeds locally to improve the economic status of the community.
He was poor when he was strong but became rich only after he grew weak.
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Source: myjoyonline