Twifo Praso, Oct 4, GNA - The Chiefs and elders of Wamaso, Mampoma, Kayireku, Mamponso, Kotokyi and Heman on Tuesday, decided to release more land to the Twifo Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) in recognition for contribution towards the socio-economic development of Twifo Praso and its surrounding villages.

Nana Amo Sasarku II, Omanhene of the Twifo Traditional Area, disclosed this on behalf of the communities at a durbar organised by TOPP at Twifo Praso during the visit of Mr Arie C.A. Van Wiel, Netherlands Ambassador in Ghana to TOPP in the Central Region and the Benso Oil Palm Plantations (BOPP) in the Western Region. Nana Sasarku said TOPP apart from producing palm oil for human consumption had provided infrastructure like schools, clinic, boreholes and places of convenience in the area.

He appealed to the management of TOPP to extend its social services to other communities.

The Ambassador accompanied by Mr Charles Coufie, Chief Executive of Uniliver Ghana, thanked the Chiefs and elders of the area for their gesture.

Mr Abdul Malik Bin Amin, Managing Director, of TOPP and BOPP, later conducted the Ambassador round the factory.

The also inspected smallholder farms, the nursery, and social amenities provided by the company in the communities. At Benso, Mr Van Wiel inspected the Benso Secondary Technical School laboratory, renovated by BOPP, smallholder farms, the clinic and a One Million Dollar palm kernel oil mill.

Mr Lawrence Kuma-Mintah, Engineer in-charge, who conducted the Ambassador round said the mill, which would be commissioned in December 2005, would produce about 3,000 metric tons of palm kernel oil per annum.

Mr Van Wiel speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the inspection said he was highly impressed with the operations of the two plantations and the social amenities they had provided in the communities.

He stated that the mills of the two plantations had a bright future and said with the support of the Chiefs and elders of the communities the companies would progress to provide more social amenities in the Twifo and Benso areas.