President Akufo-Addo unveiling the plaque to signify the commissioning the $2.1 million rubber processing factory
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo last Friday commissioned the Narubiz Rubber Factory, a company operating under Government’s 1-District-1-Factory initiative, at Wassa Dompim, in the Wassa East District of the Western Region.
The factory, which is 100 percent Ghanaian owned, has the capacity to process 20 tons of rubber per day for export to countries such as Turkey, Malaysia and Hong Kong. It is expected that a total of 6,240 tons of processed rubber per year will be exported, which will generate some US$9.6 million of foreign exchange into the country.
Commissioning the factory, at the commencement of his 2-day tour of the Western Region, President Akufo-Addo said the total investment for the factory is US$2.1 million, with GCB Bank providing a US$1.38 million loan facility to the company, under the 1D1F initiative.
In addition, the factory has enjoyed import duty exemptions on plant, equipment and machinery from Government, which, among other incentives, have been designed to boost the competitiveness of the companies operating under the 1D1F programme.
The factory, whose construction began in February 2020, currently offers direct and indirect employment to over 1,340 employees, including out-growers, latex harvesters, farm maintenance workers and transporters.
Rubber cultivation
The President noted that the siting of the factory in the Western Region will encourage more Ghanaians to engage in the cultivation of natural rubber in the catchment area, as well as other neighbouring regions to feed the state-of-the-art factory.
With Ghana’s emerging automobile industry, he is confident the factory will play a critical role in the development of component parts for the auto industry, such as vehicle tyres, car seats and fan belts, which can be produced from the raw materials currently being manufactured from Narubiz Rubber Factory.
President Akufo-Addo commended the business promoters and traditional authorities of the area for their unflinching support for the project. He also praised GCB Bank for providing the loan facility for the establishment of the factory.
KEDA ceramics factory
In Shama, the President commissioned Phase 3 of the KEDA ceramics factory, whose construction started in September 2019, and was completed in June 2021.
The factory has generated some 2,000 direct and 5,000 indirect employment opportunities, with the company having invested some $150 million in all three phases, resulting in an increased production capacity of 150,000 square metres of tiles per day. Currently, the company exports 60 percent of tiles produced to the West African market.
The President on Tuesday, July 23, 2019 cut the sod for the third phase of expansion works of the factory, a company also operating under the “One District, One Factory” initiative.
President Akufo-Addo stated, at the time, that “the operations of the company have also seen a significant reduction in the import of tiles by as much as 14%. The contribution that this company is making in the industrialization agenda of the country and the transformation of our economy is significant.”
Particularly happy about the decision by the company to source it raw materials locally, the President: “Many of those things we can do here in Ghana, we intend to begin the process of doing them here in Ghana. That is the way we can develop our economy and begin to address the living standards of our people.”
67KM Agona-Tarkwa road
On Saturday, the President also cut sod for the commencement of work on the reconstruction of the 67-kilometre Agona Nkwanta-Tarkwa road.
Being funded with a 95-million-euro facility from Deutsche Bank AG, Frankfurt, Germany, the project is expected to be completed by August 31, 2024.
The road, once completed, will link Tarkwa, one of the major economic centres of Ghana, to the port city of Takoradi and to the national route, N1, which links Ghana to Cote D’Ivoire.
President Akufo-Addo noted that the reconstruction of the road forms part of a comprehensive plan of action being taken by his government to improve the road network in the Western Region and in all parts of the country.
Specific to the Western Region, the government has embarked on the construction of the PTC Interchange in Takoradi, which is the first interchange in the western part of the country. It is estimated to be completed by June 2023.
Dixcove Landing Beach
At Dixcove, President Akufo-Addo inspected ongoing work on the Dixcove Landing Beach, a project whose construction commenced a year ago.
With the break water and marine work some 90% complete, the project co-ordinator indicated to the President that reclamation and demolition works are also completed, while construction of onshore facilities will commence in early October 2021. It is expected that these works will be completed in the next six months.
Once completed, the facility will bring a lot of relief to the fishermen and the fisherfolk, who constitute a greater number of the population.
Other ancillary facilities that will complement the fish landing site include ice making plants, water supply and electricity supply, washing facilities and toilets for the fisher folk, net mending sheds, as well as nursery and day care facilities for the women.
The other nine beneficiary towns are Moree, Mumford, Winneba, Senya Beraku, Gomoa Fetteh and Elmina in the Central Region, Teshie and James Town in the Greater Accra Region and Keta, in the Volta Region.
Bogoso polyclinic
At Bogoso, the President inspected ongoing work on the construction of the 46-bed Bogoso polyclinic, which is being constructed by VAMED Nederland BV.
The turnkey project started on February 4, 2020, is currently 75% complete, and expected to be completed in December 2021.
When completed, the polyclinic will be fitted with a mother and child health centre, residential accommodation for doctors and nurses, neonatal unit, delivery wards, pharmacy, obstetrics unit, x-ray facility, laboratory, first aid room, emergency room, and recovery and consulting rooms.
