GHANA – The President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned the US$15m Ekumfi Fruits and Juices factory, a project initiated under the One-District-One-Factory initiative.
The construction of the automated agro-processing plant began in 2017 with part of the financing facility aggregating to US$10m coming from Ghana Exim Bank.
With a capacity to produce and package about 10 tonnes of processed juice per hour it will utilize some10,000 fruits per hour.
This means that this factory requires four 4 acres of pineapple fruits to be harvested for processing every hour, Indicated the press-release by Ghana Presidency.
The factory has begun commercial production of its main brand; “Eku juice” with capacity of producing 300 million packs of juice annually for local consumption and for export.
With 1,000 acres of pineapple under cultivation, employing about 475 outgrowers, the factory has created direct employment opportunities for over 550 people including engineers, food scientists, marketing professionals, accountants, and technicians.
In addition, more than 1,000 indirect job opportunities in Ekumfi and other adjoining districts have been created.
“The Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Factory is yet another example of Government’s determination to promote the industrial transformation of our country.
“Government will continue to partner the private sector to establish similar modern factories, and which would be globally competitive, and take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area, that will begin trading on 1st January next year,” said President Akufo-Addo.
Commencement of US$100m Elmina fishing port project
In the same vein, the President recently cut the sod for the commencement of construction and rehabilitation of the Elmina Fishing Port Project tagged to cost €85m (US$100m), in a bid to boost the fishing Industry.
The Project will first undertake the upgrading of existing facilities such as administration building, the slipways, workshop and maintenance dredging of the existing Port.
Secondly, a new fishing harbour will be constructed with a main breakwater and a quay wall to enable larger fishing vessels to safely moor and offload with a dedicated access road to the Port, and a warehouse for storage.
Other new works include establishment of a shed for the fish market; a shed for fishing net mending; two cold stores/ ice factories and a new slipway for bigger vessels with a boat refurbishment area.
The project is in line with government’s ongoing programme to rehabilitate and construct fishing ports and landing sites along the coastal stretch of the country.
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