The Member of Parliament(MP) for Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem (KEEA), Dr. Ato Arthur, has shot down assertions that galamsey activities should be blamed for challenges at the Komenda Sugar factory.
It follows comments by Trade and Industry Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah that the illegal mining activities have affected sugarcane cultivation and subsequent supplies to the factory.
Though Dr. Arthur admits of the impact of the illegal mining activities on water bodies in the region, he tells Citi Business News reasons cited by Dr. Spio Garbrah are untenable.
“How do you secure a 35 million dollar loan build the edifice and yet nothing is going on there? Where is the land for the raw materials?” the MP retorted.
According to him, “There used to be irrigation facilities between Komenda in the Central region and Beposo in the Western region. But how were they intending to irrigate the farmlands assuming they even prepared the farmlands? I believe all these were some sort of political gimmicks.”
President John Mahama in May this year commissioned the Komenda sugar factory for the production of sugar. This was in fulfillment of government’s dream to increase production and reduce importation of the product.
The factory is yet to resume operations after it was shut down in June this year. Meanwhile Dr. Arthur has cast doubt over any possible resumption of work on the factory site this month.
In his view; government has failed to undertake effective strategies to sustain operations at the factory.
“I don’t think I am the only one who is not optimistic; we should all be pessimistic about what they’ve done at the factory. Is the factory going to be left to become just an ordinary tourist attraction site or the youth will be employed to work to improve their livelihood,” he stated.
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