The minority caucus of the Trade, Industry and Tourism committee, is demanding for an immediate operationalization of the Komenda Sugar Factory.
According to the caucus, the government has given too many timelines, but has failed to get the factory operational.
The caucus has also warned that a future National Democratic Congress government will prosecute persons who had underhand dealings in the Komenda sugar factory and its inability to operate.
Minority members of the committee visited the factory to ascertain for themselves its current state and later held a community engagement with the people of Komenda.
Ranking Member of the Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee of Parliament, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, described as deliberate attempt by the NPP government to leave the factory inoperative since assuming office in 2017.
He said, the narrative being told to Ghanaians that, the NDC administration made no provision for the growing of sugarcane to feed the factory is false.
According to him about USD 24million in the form of loan from the Indian Exim Bank was earmarked to cater for the growing of 60% of the total sugarcane that would be needed to feed for the factory by outgrowers as well as the 40% that would have been cultivated by the factory’s farmers but the present administration failed to access the facility.
Mr Armah Buah, also said that before the NDC exited power, every arrangement to keep the factory running had been done.
For these residents including Francis Attipoe who has worked at the factory in both the old and new era, the inability of the factory to run has caused severe unemployment and hardship situation in the area.
Meanwhile, former deputy attorney general and a member of the committee, Dr Dominic Ayine has warned that a future NDC government will prosecute persons who’d be found to have engaged in underhand dealings and contributed to the factory’s inability to operate for causing financial loss to the state.
He does not understand why the factory was recently valued at USD 12million even though it’s actual value stood at USD 40million
