A factory to produce purified water and fruit drinks has been inaugurated at Kona, a rural community in the Sekyere East District of the Ashanti Region.

Fruit drinks produced include orange flavour, pineapple flavour and pure juice fruit.

Called Jojem Industries, the factory is owned by Jones Ababio Serebour, a citizen of the area domiciled in Accra.

A 160 foot borehole has been drilled in the Ridge at Kona from which water is pumped to feed the factory. Modern automatic machines with nine powerful filters have been installed at the factory.

So far about 14 people have been employed at the factory and more hands will be needed as the company expands.

Mr Ababio Serebour said at the inaugural ceremony that very soon, the company will go into export, as a major expansion work will soon be undertaken.

He said the company intends to work with farmers in the area to establish an outgrower scheme to feed the factory.

Mr Ababio Serebour gave the assurance that the company would be a development partner in the district.

He revealed that he had also decided to add hiring canopies, chairs and mattresses to the operations of the company.

In a speech read on her behalf, the Deputy Minister of Trade, Industries and President’s Special Initiatives, Hajia Alima Mahama, commended the Managing Director for his foresight and gave the assurance that the government would support such initiatives to enable them improve the living conditions of the rural areas.

She said government, through the Ministry of Trade, Industries and President’s Special Initiatives, is to establish three export-oriented small- and-medium-scale industries in each of the 110 districts within the next three years, under a programme aimed at accelerating the rate of growth in national export earnings.

The programme, known as “the new industrial reform and accelerated growth programme” would also provide the foundation for the needed growth of the economy, create wealth and improve the employment situation in line with government policy.

The deputy minister emphasised that medium and small-scale enterprises have the capacity to improve the employment situation in the country and also address the spatial imbalance in development.

She noted that government could no more play the role of the single biggest employer in the country and as such the necessary support is being given to the private sector to play that role.

The deputy minister stressed the need for sachet water producers to ensure that treated water remains safe for consumption to avoid the incidence of water borne diseases.