The Secretariat of One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) has revealed that the Ghana Export and Import (EXIM) Bank has approved GH₵7.7million to finance the entire Ekumfi Fruits & Juices Company Limited located in Ekumfi Abor in the Central Region.
The first tranche has already been released and spent on the acquisition of implements such as tractors, tricycles and pick-up vehicles needed for operations for the first phase of the project.
Machinery for the factory is being procured and should be ready for shipment to Ghana shortly.
The National Coordinator for the One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) Secretariat, Hon Gifty Ohene Konadu, who confirmed this in a telephone interview said installation of the machinery for the factory will commence in the first quarter of 2018.
She was giving an update on the Ekumfi Fruits & Juices Company Limited and the outlook for 2018.
"The contractor, consultant and engineers are already on site in preparation for the necessary excavation and leveling works for the construction of the factory building," she added.
Additionally, 600 out-growers who have been registered and their lands verified have been grouped on block farms in four (4) different communities for training.
Training for the first batch comprising 80 farmers from Ekumfi Ayisam, she said, was held on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 with the remaining batches expected to receive theirs in January, 2018.
Mrs. Ohene-Konadu is confident that construction of the factory building will be completed on schedule.
Outlook for 2018
Touching on the outlook for 2018, she disclosed that three agro processing projects are ready for sod cutting following their successful passage through evaluation at the Secretariat and their subsequent approval by the Banks.
The projects include; Amantin Agro Processing Plant; Asikess Ventures Limited; and Kpetsu, Adaklu Agro Processing Plant all of which will wholly rely on cassava for production.
Apart from that, the Secretariat has forwarded 60 business plans and proposals to some participating financial institutions to study. 28 of such proposals have been submitted to GCB Bank and the remaining 41 to Ghana EXIM Bank.
The business plans, she added, were submitted between the period of October 6 and 21 December, 2017. Ten (10) additional projects have also been submitted to the African Development Bank (AfDB) for infrastructural support.
According to Madam Ohene Konadu, four (4) of the business proposals have been processed by the banks and credit reports written on them for onward submission to the Risk Department and Board for final approval.
Four (4) of the business proposals are still in the processing stage with the promoters of these businesses expected to provide further documents to the financial institutions for processing.
The banks, she further noted, have also made initial contact with forty-two (42) promoters and are waiting for these promoters to revert with the necessary documentation in order to progress with their applications.
The proposals thus far cover five (5) main broad sectors namely; Agro Processing – Livestock (10); Agro Processing – Crop (27); Hospitality/Fashion (15); Manufacturing (other than agro products) (16); and Health (1) in all the Ten (10) regions.
REGIONAL DISTRIBUTION
The list below shows the regional distribution.
REGION NUMBER OF PROPOSALS
Greater Accra 11
BrongAhafo 5
Ashanti 12
Central 5
Western 6
Volta 3
Eastern 12
Northern 12
Upper East 2
Upper West 1
Total 69
Source: Daniel Adu Darko/Peacefmonline.com/[email protected]
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why do we always buy pick ups anytime there is a new project in Ghana? Are these people telling us there are no cars in the system for such businesses and why always pick ups?
Politicians are second to the devil. They always deceive their way out of problems. You told us the pragram has started. Today, you telling us money has been approved. I am not sure whether approval is the same as money in hand. The fact that something is approved does not mean you have it in your hand. Interestingly, we are also being told that the approved money which is not in hand yet, will purchase logistics which are also yet to be processed and shipped to Ghana. This means, we are talking about another for those things to be properly put in place. Granted that they are telling us the truth, it implies if any of this one district one factory would be reality then its either in the fourth year of the government or beyond. I do not know how a proper factory could be built in just a year and commissioned for operation.
it is one thing to help the prodxn. Govt has to help in promoting distribution and marketing venues such as malls, supermarkets etc so that it is easy for nationwise distribution of goods in Ghana. What we have today is chaotic
May I know, so who established the Ghana EXIM Bank?
1DIF has always been private partnership fo used. The government is just facilitating and monitoring
I have said it elsewhere that it is wrong for public funds to be used in financing these 1D1Fs. This is because limited state funds should be directed towards priority public projects that only the state can fund. Rather, these setups should be floated for public acquisition of shares, preferably by those who come from the area or other Ghanaians with interest in that industry. We should be careful on not destroying a good idea with bad implementation.