The Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Kyeremanteng, has pledged government’s support to the youth of Bokaso-Sefwi Akontmbra, stating that government will include them in the ‘One District One Factory’ (1D1F) policy in the Western North Region.
The pledge was made at a visit to a rice processing factory at Bokaso-Sefwi Akonotombra District in the Western North Region of Ghana while embarking on the second phase of his tour under the ‘One District One Factory’ policy.
“We may have groups of young people; we don’t want to leave them out of the 1D1F. Government will group them to help them with factories under the enabled youth 1D1F module. We will provide them with seed capital and similar support to help them become investors themselves. Even in vulnerable districts where there are no investors, we will use this module to assist them”.
According to the Minister, the rice processing factory in the district falls under the second module of the 1D1F program which distinguishes groups of farmers who lack the capacity to establish processing facilities for their produce.
The 65 percent complete factory, is expected to be through by the end of the year. According to sources, its production capacity is expected at one and a half tons of rice per hour.
The Rural Enterprise Programme (REP) is an initiative by the Ministry of Trade and is in line with the Government of Ghana’s flagship 1D1F policy.
The REP is establishing 5 Common User Processing Facility (CUF) including the Sefwi Akontombra District Rice Processing Company at Sewfi Akontombra, Yoo Rice Processing Factory Limited at Savelugu, Sekyere Maize Processing Company at Nsuta/ and Nkran Nkwanta / Dormaa West District, Fiase Oil Palm Processing Company at Dompim/ Tarkwa Nsueam Municipal. Sekyere Central District and Dormaa Agro Company Limited (Rice).
The 1District 1Factory Common User Facility is an agro-processing facility equipped with machines to process raw materials including agro-industrial materials into other products.
It is a concept that seek to achieve dissemination, technology transfer and usage among commodity chain actors in a particular commodity value chain.
According to the Ministry of Trade and Industry, CUF is intended to provide services for the processing of agricultural commodities along a selected value chain.
The Common User Processing Facility are being established with funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Agricultural Commodity Processing Infrastructure Development (ACIP) of the Rural Enterprise Programme.
Each of the 1D1F Common User Facility has been registered as a Limited Liability Company. Shareholders including farmer groups, marketers, landowners, processors, transporters and more will be buyers of the shares.
The Minister expressed satisfaction while inspecting the 6.6 million rice processing factory in the Western North Region.
