The Management of HPW Fresh and Dry Fruit Limited, producers and exporters of fresh and dry fruits, has passionately appealed for the urgent rehabilitation of the broken down culvert spanning the Adeiso-Bawjiase stretch of road to facilitate fast movement on that road.

According to Mr. Malik Blaser, General Manager of the Agro-fruit producers and processors, the situation is affecting its operations as the carting of the perishable raw materials from the farms located at Adeiso to Bawjiase, its factory site, has become a nightmare.

The General Manager made the appeal when Dr Ekow Spio-Gabrah, Minister for Trade and Industries paid a working visit to the company as part of his three -day working visit to the Eastern Region.

Mr Blaser said the culvert which has broken down for some time now has rendered the road unusable, compelling other road users to avoid that section and make a detour through the bush before getting back onto the main road.

Apart from increasing the travel time, he said, workers also find it extremely difficult to report to work during the rainy season-a situation which has contributed to a shortfall in total production for export and subsequent earnings.

The HPW Fresh and Dry Limited produced 900 metric tons of dried fruits last year and planned to expand its production to 1,200 metric tons this year to create employment for 1,000 people, but has been crippled by the situation.

As part of the visit, Dr. Spio Garbrah also visited the Blue Skies Company at Nsawam, export producers of fresh cut tropical fruits and fresh fruit juices and the PINORA Fruit processing Company at Asamakese, producers of orange and pineapple concentrate for export.

Later during a courtesy call on Mr Antwi-Boasiako Sekyere, the outgoing Eastern Regional Minister, Dr Spio-Gabrah said the siting of most fruit processing Industries in the Region, gave hope that the Ghanaian economy is on the path of growth.

He urged the Eastern Regional Coordinating Council to consider the development of the Volta River for irrigation farming, fish production and tourist development to rake in some revenue for the country.