A cassava processing factory is to be established at Diare in the Savelugu/Nanton Municipality of the Northern Region to process cassava into various products including flour and ethanol to support the economy of the area.

The factory, which is in line with the government’s One-District One-Factory agenda, is a project of PT and T Ghana Limited in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), with support from Traditional Authorities at Diare.

To this end, representatives of PT and T Ghana Limited, MoTI and Traditional Authorities at Diare visited the 20-acre land site of the factory at Diare to assess progress of work.

Mr Prince Mohammed Tawfik Tikum-ma, the Chief Executive Officer of PT and T Ghana Limited, said the decision to site the factory in the area was to add value to cassava, which was widely cultivated in the area to increase incomes for farmers as well as create jobs for all.

He said farmers would be given fertilizers and credit facilities amongst other incentives to enable them to produce enough raw materials to feed the factory.

Mr Habib Issahaku, the Northern Region Officer of MoTI, said the establishment of factories in each district, especially in the Northern Region would reduce rural-urban migration of the youth as they would be engaged productively at home.

Hajia Ayishetu Seidu, the Savelugu/Nanton Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), lauded the initiative, which would help improve incomes of cassava farmers as well as create jobs for the people of the area.

Hajia Seidu said the Assembly was working to find solutions to the Fulani herdsmen menace in the area to protect the investment of crop farmers.

Abubakari Abdulai, Regent of Diare, appealed to government and non-governmental organisations to explore the untapped farming resources in the area to create opportunities for the youth.