The National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East Region is raising critical questions about the state of the Northern Star Tomato Factory in Pwalugu in the Talensi District.
It would be recalled that it was suggested by the Upper East Regional Director of the Business Resource Centre (BRC), Michael Abogoro that the Ministry of Trade and Industry would make a public statement on the state of the Northern Star Tomato Factory in Pwalugu in the Upper East Region soon. The statement is expected to give clarity on the current state of the facility and all the processes that have been undertaken to revitalise the factory.
Before that, Mr. Abogoro on November 19, 2021, explained that plans are far advanced to ensure the operationalization of the said factory this year.
He said the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MOTI) with support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) had sought the services of a transaction advisor to ensure the revitalization of the Northern Star Tomato Factory in Pwalugu in the Upper East Region. The Advisor had undertaken all feasibility studies while financial considerations have been settled and added that all things being equal, the Northern Star Tomato Factory will be operational this year.
Speaking about the state of the factory again on, Wednesday, June 8, 2022, on the same platform, Mr. Abogoro said he was unable to divulge information relevant to the state of the factory as MoTI would make public statements about the facility soon.
“Since November last year when I made that pronouncement, the Ministry’s attention was drawn to that publication and so that Ministry would officially be speaking to that in their capacity as Ministry of Trade and Industry. I do know that they are working round the clock.”
“I do not want to share any information regarding that one as the Ministry would be making an official pronouncement on it,” he said.
The Regional Manager of the BRC continued to say he was unable to tell when the Ministry would make the statement but gave the assurance that “as soon as practicable, the Ministry would make a statement on that.”
But speaking ahead of the President’s visit to the Upper East Region, the Talensi Constituency Secretary hopeful, Augustine Guure is hoping that the President would tell the people of the Upper East Region about what the government is doing about the facility.
“The president must let us know what he is doing about some of the factories in the region; a good example is the Northern Star Tomato Processing Factory.”
Mr. Guure also added that government must subsidize inputs for rice farmers to ensure that local production is boosted.
“We must invest in rice production to ensure that the unemployed youth who are roaming about would be able to go into rice farming.”
While commending government for the establishment of the 1D1F in Fumbisi, more needs to be done.
In a earlier yet similar conversation on the same platform, Yen Nyeya, a member of the Social Justice Movement (SJM) has wondered why the government has not been bothered to resuscitate the Pwalugu Tomato Factory under its One District One Factory Policy (1D1F).
Mr Nyeya explained that when revamped, the factory could create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs for farmers and those along the agribusiness value changing; thus putting money directly into the pockets of Ghanaians.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
