President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed that his government is in ongoing discussions with an investor aimed at reviving the Komenda Sugar Factory, which operated for less than a month under his administration.
The Sugar Factory is a Ghanaian industrial plant originally established in 1964 and despite a $35 million revamp under the Mahama administration and multiple political efforts, it remained non-operational.
The facility, according to information gathered, is heavily indebted, suffers from obsolete equipment, and lacks a local raw material supply.
The factory remained idle and has been disconnected from the national electrical grid by the Electricity Company of Ghana and had its water supply cut by Ghana Water Company Limited due to unpaid bills.
The outgrower farming community, critical for the factory’s sugarcane supply chain, has largely disengaged due to unclear procurement channels and a lack of institutional suppor
President Mahama explained that efforts to restart the factory began before his administration took office, following earlier engagements between the previous government and a prospective investor.
According to him, the Ministry of Trade has since met with the investor to assess the proposal for the resumption of operations at the facility.
President Mahama noted that the investor has proposed a ban on imported refined sugar to secure the local market for the factory’s output.
However, he stressed that such a request would only be considered after a careful assessment of the investor’s production capacity.
“What he wanted was a ban on imported sugar so that he would have the local market. But we also need to assess his capability before we issue a ban. Otherwise, supply may not be able to meet demand,” the President said during his tour of the Central Region on Saturday, June 27.
He added that discussions are still ongoing and indicated that the government may, in the future, consider gradually reducing sugar imports to support local production, while ensuring adequate supply for consumers.
“We are still engaging the investor and we may gradually reduce imports to create space for local production while ensuring that the country’s demand is adequately met,” President Mahama added.
By Kyei Boateng
