The National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer for 2024, John Dramani Mahama, has issued a warning to the potential Komenda Sugar Factory buyer to refrain from doing any opaque business with the current administration.
His warning follows the announcement by Trade and Industry Minister K.T. Hammond of the government’s decision to lease the Komenda Sugar Factory to the Indian company West African Agro Limited for a 15–20 year renewable term.
However, during media engagement in the Volta Region, John Dramani Mahama questioned how the transaction was conducted in secrecy.
As he put it, “I have read about the hurry to lease the Komenda Sugar Factory to an investor. The thing about this government is, they are not transparent in anything they do so I am warning the investor. I hope he’s gone through a transparent procurement process,”
The facility was commissioned in May 2016 by the former president John Mahama at the cost of $35 million. This initiative developed sugar to reduce the importation reliance while at the same time generating more than 7 300 jobs in value chain both direct and indirect employment the facility was financed by the Indian EXIM Bank.
The facility was commissioned by the former President Mahama in May 2016, but operations were suspended due to several difficulties.
The factory started to decline until in November 2019, the government entered into a partnership with a Ghanaian Indian firm; Park Agrotech Ghana Limited, which is expected to invest some $28 million to rejuvenate the factory.
SOURCE https://dew360.net
