GHANA – The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned CH Global Limited, a cassava and yam processing factory operating under the government’s 1-District-1-Factory initiative, located in Krachi East District of Oti Region.
Construction of the facility which began in 2019, received financial support from Ghana EXIM Bank to the tune of GH¢10 million (US$1.65m).
According to reports by The Presidency of Ghana, the facility will process yam into frozen chips and yam balls, under the brand name CH Foods.
The first phase of the project which has been fully completed is estimated to process an average of 120 tubers of yam per hour, resulting in 60 bags of processed frozen yam chips and yam balls, requiring an annual supply of 216,000 tubers of yam.
Meanwhile, its second phase which is scheduled to commence operations in 2022, will introduce a cassava processing line for the production of cassava fries and snacks, with a capacity to process some 700 metric tons of cassava per year.
Its by-products would be used to produce livestock feed.
To fashion the plant, the government has set aside a 100-acre farm for yam and cassava production and will also engage local farmers from neighbouring communities to supply the factory with the required raw materials.
With the facility covering some 1200 square meters, it will employ 254 people under the phase one, whilst the phase two will also create a significant number of direct and indirect employment opportunities for the youth in and around the district.
With youth unemployment being one of the main issues confronting the nation, the 1D1F initiative is seeking to address the daunting state of affairs, as well as underdevelopment among peri urban and rural communities, by attracting private sector investments into the development activities of these communities.
1D1F programme is designed to transform the industrial landscape of the country, and build the capacities of local enterprises to produce high quality products for both the local and foreign markets.
As of September 2021, 278 1D1F projects are at various stages of implementation under the Initiative.
Out of this number, 104 are currently in operation, 150 are under construction, and the remaining 24 are at the mobilization stage.
One hundred and sixty-five (165) out of the 278 projects, that is 60% of the factories, are new projects, whilst 113 companies are existing projects being supported, representing 40%.
Under the development initiative, the government has opened the Hohoe Technology Solution Centre, one of five (5) new facilities being established by the Rural Enterprise Programme of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The Hohoe Technology Solution Centre, located at Gbi Godenu, and constructed at a cost of GH¢6.07 million (US$1m), will support Government’s industrialization agenda, particularly the 1-District-1-Factory initiative.
The key functions of the Technology Solution Centre will be the production of spare parts and repair services for district factories, the manufacturing of agro-processing equipment, and the provision of training for human resources capacity building
The Hohoe Technology Solution Centre is one of five Centres spread around the country, with the others located at Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, Savelugu in the Northern Region, Elmina in the Central Region and Dormaa Ahenkro in the Bono Region.
The five new TSCs are an upgraded version of and an addition to the original 26 Rural Technology Facilities (RTF) established by Rural Enterprises Programme across the country, in collaboration with GRATIS and the host district assemblies.
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