Government has received about five proposals from a number of investors, who have indicated an interest to take over the Quality Grain Project at Aveyime. The Quality Grain project, which was confiscated to the state last two years following the failure of the original investors to complete it has been under utilised for some time now.

The project was set up in 1996 to enhance Ghana’s efforts at growing rice locally but could not be completed because funds meant for the project were misappropriated.

In May 2001, an Accra High Court approved a government application to take over the company’s assets. Since then there have been several complaints that the project is being under utilised because only the milling plant is in operation.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Kwaku Owusu Baah says the facilities at the project site are not being used because government does not intend to operate the site. He told JOY FM that a number of investors have submitted proposals to take over the project, or form a consortium to operate the project.

Government has contracted a consultant to examine the five proposals and decide which one would be in the best interest of the country. One of the pointers the consultant is looking out for is the level of expertise, total capital base and track record of the vying companies.

Mr. Owusu Baah says in the long term government expects that the chosen company will collaborate with local rice farmers and work towards producing to meet the demands of Ghanaians. “Basically, what is most important and critical to us now, is an investor that will help us to develop the local rice market”, he noted.

Three former government officials were last April sentenced to various terms imprisonment for the various roles they played in granting about $20 million loan to Quality Grain Company.