Opinions of Wednesday, 21 December 2016

Columnist: duncan kusi

One district, one factory' promise will be challenging to implement

President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo President-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo

By Kusi Duncan

I was very sad to read from Ghana web that one district, one factory promise will be challenging to implement as pointed out by Dr Apraku.

It seems Dr Apraku is not very sure about his government's plan of establishing factories across the country to reduce unemployment if they come to power.

Ghana needs $ 500 million to set up 275 factories in all the constituencies but the country can start with $300 million if it cannot get the whole amount.

Dr Apraku suggested that they shall make the environment conducive and attractive for foreign investors to come and establish the factories but I do not side with him because we can not rely on foreign investors.

My outfit can also contribute to the establishments whenever funds are ready. With my scanty resources I am setting up food processing enterprise which can employ at least ten people.

So far I have invested around $120,000 so if NPP government would raise about $ 1 million for every constituency, the implementation will be possible and we may not need foreign investors.

What the initiators should do is to gather information from all the constituencies concerning what they commonly produce.

For example, Offinso North is very good at tomato farming as such the district will need a tomato factory so that the farmers will produce tomatoes to feed the factory.

I have the turnkey or the technical no-how for food processing and that is what I am going to do now . My outfit will start production in February 2017 at Offinso South.

Initially, my outfit would produce soft drinks and as time goes on we shall engage in vegetable processing.

We can help the incoming government to acquire the needed machines to start the businesses.

The following factories can be established in the country by incoming government if funds are available.

1. Meat processing and preservation
2. fruit processing and preservation
3.recycling of plastic products ( this particular project is needed in every district)
4 Dairy processing
5.Palm oil processing
6.Fish processing and preservation
7.Paper recycling
8. chalk production
9. Electrical appliances such fans, computers , fridges and others can be assembling in the country.

The machines are cheap in Asia and it is likely that the government can afford them.


In the food, drinks and meat processing, we shall import glass bottles, tins and tin making machines and start producing our own tins to supply the factories in the constituencies.

The incoming government should also look at the items we spend much money to import them and if possible, we produce or assembly them here in Ghana to safe our currency.

More to be mentioned but few.

I am always ready to assist with the turnkeys if the need be. One can contact me at kusi811@yahoo.com

God bless us.