Farmers of Salaga in the East Gonja district have appealed for government to restore the Salaga Cassava Processing Factory to an operational status to help them to process their farm produce for better market opportunities.

The Salaga Cassava Processing Factory has been shut down for the past decade, and its abandonment is said to have worsened joblessness in the district.

The factory used to produce cassava dough, gari, chips, flour and starch for the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, but has been closed down due to inadequate financial resources to run the facility.

Now the premises of the once-vibrant factory have been taken over by reptiles, insects and rodents, while the surroundings have been turn into latrines by the residents around.

A visit to the site shows the building in a deplorable state -- with all the office equipment missing, and it is not clear whether they have been stolen or carted away for safe-keeping.

Some residents expressed worries about the state of the factory, believing it has deprived many youth of a source of livelihood; while most farmers have also cut down on farming activities.

They therefore appealed for government to help improve the Gonjaland roads, especially the Salaga-Makango-Tamale road that has been deterring investors.