General News of Monday, 18 January 2010

Source: GNA

Committee negotiating with Chinese investors to purchase oil palm

Ajumako (C/R), Jan. 18, GNA - The Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District is currently negotiating with some Chinese investors to establish a permanent oil market to purchase palm oil produced in the District. This follows the reactivation of the Onwane Oil Palm factory which is now in active production.

The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Peter Light Koomson, made this known at the Assembly's meeting at Ajumako at the weekend. He said SPGE also intends to establish a master Craftsmen Group to polish up apprentices and offer them certificates. The DCE said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) project is ready to release an amount of 10,000 dollars pending the release of the Assembly's counterpart fund to assist in the effective implementation of the project in the District.

Mr Koomson said one major problem facing the Assembly is the issue of ineffective and inefficient revenue mobilization. He said a lot of efforts and administrative strategies have been put in place, all in a bid to improve the revenue base of the Assembly, yet the situation remains the same.

"It is an undisputed fact that our revenue generation is nothing to write home about and this, as audit reports continue to confirm, can be attributed to weaknesses on the part of our revenue of collectors and poor supervision". The DCE appealed to the Assembly to discuss the issue dispassionately and to come out with appropriate and implementable strategies to reverse the trend.