Ghana's sugarcane farmers have announced plans to stage a protest against the government over the continued inactivity of the Komenda Sugar Factory, nearly a decade after the facility was inaugurated with the promise of boosting local sugar production and creating jobs.
The Sugarcane Farmers Association of Ghana (SUFAG) said it will hold a peaceful demonstration on June 16 to demand urgent action to revive the factory, which was commissioned by President John Dramani Mahama on May 30, 2016, Adom Online reported.
In a statement issued on May 31, the association expressed frustration that the plant remains non-operational despite years of oversight by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry. According to the group, the prolonged shutdown has deprived thousands of sugarcane farmers of a reliable market for their produce and the economic benefits originally expected from the project.
SUFAG said the factory has continued to deteriorate while remaining idle, raising concerns about the future of one of Ghana’s flagship agro-industrial investments.
The association accused the ministry of failing to provide the leadership needed to make the factory operational and argued that the lack of progress after ten years points to shortcomings in planning and management.
Farmers also voiced concerns over the limited information available regarding the factory’s status and a report prepared by the Interim Management Committee. SUFAG claimed that attempts to access details through the Right to Information Act have produced little result.
As part of its demands, the association has called on President Mahama to remove the factory from the supervision of the Trade Ministry and place it under either the President’s Special Initiative or the government’s 24-Hour Economy programme.
While expressing support for the government’s wider development agenda, the group said it no longer has confidence in the ministry’s ability to restore operations at the facility.
The planned demonstration is expected to bring together sugarcane farmers, youth and other stakeholders seeking renewed government intervention to revive the factory and unlock its intended economic benefits.
The Komenda Sugar Factory was established to strengthen domestic sugar production, generate employment and create a stable market for sugarcane growers in Ghana’s Central Region and surrounding areas. However, operational difficulties and extended periods of inactivity have prevented the facility from achieving those goals.
SUFAG maintained that farmers remain ready to supply sugarcane and insisted that demand for locally produced sugar exists, arguing that decisive government action is needed to return the factory to operation and support the country’s sugar industry.