President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s led government lacks the political will to operationalize the defunct Komenda Sugar Factory in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipality of the Central Region.
Mr Ransford Chatman Vanni-Amoah, former Secretary to the Komenda Sugar Factory Management Board stated that the non-functioning of the factory was a ploy to frustrate the presidential ambition of Mr John Alan Kojo Kyerematen, knowing very well that if the factory runs, he would take credit as the sector Minister.
Mr Vanni-Amoah statement was in reaction to a recent statement made by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr Joseph Cudjoe on the state of the factory and efforts to operationalize it.
He could not understand attempts by the New Patriotic Party(NPP) and the Minister to blame the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led-government for the non-functioning of the factory after five years in government due to NPP’s internal party contest.
Refuting the claims, Mr Vanni-Amoah said the factory was not in operation due to what he described as the government’s ‘unholy deal” with some sugar importers.
“My attention has been drawn to a statement made by the Minister of Public Enterprises, Mr. Joseph Cudjoe asserting that the Komenda Sugar Factory was a mess created by the previous government.
“After watching the video, I want to state without any equivocation that the NPP Government lacks the political will to operationalize the Komenda Sugar Factory due to their unholy deal with some sugar importers,” he noted.
“The Minister in the video said it was madness for a government to set up a factory without raw materials or government should stop constructing roads and use the money for the growing of sugarcane? This question indicates that the man is clueless and empty,” he said.
Mr Vanni-Amoah said “authentic information available to us indicates that funds had been taken from some sugar importers for their 2020 electioneering campaign, the Komenda Sugar Factory will remain idle till Akufo Addo ends his tenure of office. They will continue their blame games with Ghanaians till a new government assumes office.”
“Mr Cudjoe should ask Mr Alan Kyerematen why he sold the 125-acre nursery plantation to “akpeteshi” distillers in July, 2018? Is it not complete insanity for a factory that needs raw materials for the operation to sell the available ones to distillers?
Mr Vanni-Amoa further asked: “Does “clueless” Cudjoe know that an Indian EXIM Bank facility of US$24.54 million was approved by the 6th parliament to cater for sugarcane development, irrigation and out-grower scheme? Has his government used that money for road construction and rehabilitation?”
He stated that by listening to the Minister carefully, one would understand that all that NPP government know what they are supposed to do to grow sugarcane and questioned why they have failed to develop the canes since they assumed power.
“How many months does sugarcane take to mature and how many years have they NPP been in power,” he asked.