Nkenkansu (Ashanti Region) - Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry, on Thursday said the proposed tomato factory at Akomadan in Ashanti, a partnership between local Ghanaians and Israeli investors, is expected to start production in June next year.

He said cultivation of improved variety of tomato to feed the plant would start in December this year adding that some of the produce would be exported to Europe. Dr Apraku, who is also the Member of Parliament for Offinso North, made these known when he presented medical and educational materials valued at over ?300m to the Nkenkansu Government Hospital, the Akomadan Secondary School, Dwamena Akenten Secondary School at Offinso and the Techiman Secondary School.

The Joy of the Lord Needy Foundation based in Germany and Help Age, Ghana both non-governmental organisations made the donations. Joseph Y. Oduro, Offinso District Chief Executive, said 100 million cedis had been provided under the Social Investment Fund (SIF) to support economic groups in the area.

He suggested that the SIF fund should be disbursed to beneficiaries through the rural banks and said the people were dissatisfied with the way 'Sinapi Aba Trust' was handling that money.

The District Chief Executive, on behalf of the chiefs and people, expressed appreciation to the two NGOs for the donations. The Reverend James Kwarteng, Executive Director of the Needy Foundation, said the gesture was in response to an appeal by Dr Apraku.