Some workers and residents of Ekumfi in the Central Region have expressed their displeasure with the government's decision to scrap the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative.

They claimed that the project had created more employment opportunities in the area, reducing economic challenges such as poverty and unemployment, among others.

The residents further expressed their disappointment with the 2025 Budget presented on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 in Parliament.

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, scrapped the 1D1F programme as part of the economic recovery agenda and expenditure measures to support the fiscal consolidation agenda.

“We will cut wasteful expenditures on inefficient and duplicative programmes to reduce expenditure under the fiscal consolidation programmes,” he said.

Maame Adwoa Mensah, a 65-year-old worker and resident, in a sober state, said she already feels left out because the company might prioritize younger workers over people in her age bracket since they do not receive government support to resource the business for growth.

"I will definitely be sacked because the company would want to employ the younger ones to work for longer periods to minimise costs and cut down expenditure for their sustainability," she lamented.

The Ekumfi factory has recently faced financial difficulties, which have also affected its overall production.

According to Kankam Biney, Chief Agronomist of the factory, the company had the capacity to produce more than 9,000 units daily, but due to a low workforce, it now produces only 1,500.

He explained that this has also contributed to the shortage of juice in the market, in addition to the lack of raw materials needed by the company.

He, however, added that the 24-Hour Economy is timely, as the factory had plans to implement the initiative to increase raw material supplies for production.

He appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to consider supporting the 1D1F projects financially to boost production and increase capacity.

The Ekumfi factory currently has a low workforce of 700, including out-growers, in-growers, and share-growers, due to financial constraints. It has sought loans from banks for about three years without success, with company authorities appealing for support.

Field Manager at the factory, Rockson Atanga, told GhanaWeb that the factory has a vast amount of land available for raw material cultivation to feed production but remains untouched due to financial constraints.

He appealed for government support to help expand the factory’s output and enhance development in the country.

Former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched the One District One Factory initiative on August 25, 2017, at Ekumfi in the Central Region.

He then cut the sod for the commencement of Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Limited.

The 1D1F initiative sought to boost Ghana’s industrialisation drive through the establishment of factories across the country.

It would be recalled that the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Kobina Tahir Hammond, stated that the country would record about 250 factories in 2024 under 1D1F.

According to the former government, 160,000 direct and indirect jobs were created through this initiative.

VA/AE

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