The Komenda Sugar Factory at Komenda in the Central Region will begin full production by April this year, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said.
Established in 1964, the company seized operation over 30 years ago due to technical and managerial difficulties.
The previous administration, in 2016, made attempts to bring the factory back to life but was unsuccessful due to lack of raw materials to sustain the plant.
President Akufo-Addo said the factory would be revived to produce sugar again, and added that the civil works currently ongoing on the plant was expected to be completed next month for production to begin.
The President said this at a meeting with a delegation of chiefs and elders from the Komenda Traditional Area at the Jubilee House in Accra yesterday.
On the production of raw materials for the factory, President Akufo-Addo pointed out that a 20,000 acre of land had been secured at WassaFiase in the Western Region for sugarcane plantation.
He said the traditional rulers at WassaFiase had leased the land to the Komenda Sugar Factory for the sugarcane plantation and was optimistic that the move would ensure sustainable production of raw materials for the plant.
Touching on a request from the delegation for the upgrade of Komenda into a district, President Akufo-Addo pledged to consult the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development on the issue.
The President also pledged to construct roads in Komenda and compensate the people who would be affected by the construction.
“My government is committed to the development of Komenda. We will consider the requests you have put before us and fulfill them,” he said.
He, however, appealed to the people of Komenda to consider the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) in future elections because the party had demonstrated enough commitment to addressing the challenges in Komenda.
The Acting President of the Komenda Traditional Council and the Twifohene of the town, Nana Kwahin V, thanked the President for the genuine show of commitment to the development of the area.
He commended the government for the sea defence at Komenda and the establishment of a landing bay which had the capacity to contain over 200 canoes at any moment.
Nana Kwahin V thanked the President for supporting the traditional council to celebrate the 40 days anniversary of the death of the late Paramount Chief of Komenda, Nana KojoKru II, who passed away last year.
BY YAW KYEI