Komenda Sugar Factory revival begins with new committee

Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has inaugurated a five-member Interim Management Committee to lead the revival of the long-dormant Komenda Sugar Factory. The committee is tasked with diagnosing operational challenges and proposing a roadmap to restore the factory to full functionality.

The inauguration, held on Monday, August 4, 2025, at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, marks a renewed national push to bring the factory back to life.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, described the Komenda Sugar Factory as a “prized national asset” initiated under the previous NDC administration but stalled due to technical and supply chain setbacks.

She traced the factory’s origins to 2013, when the Government of Ghana contracted Indian firm Seftech India Pvt to build a sulphurless sugar plant capable of producing 125 metric tons of sugar daily. The $36.25 million project was financed through a loan from the India EXIM Bank and a grant from the then EDAIF, now Ghana EXIM Bank.

Despite interventions such as the appointment of Park Agrotech as a strategic investor in 2020 and subsequent engagement of WAATCO under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) policy, the factory remains non-operational.

“In spite of these interventions, several attempts to operationalise the factory have not been successful,” the Minister stated, adding that the new IMC has been tasked by President John Dramani Mahama’s government to address the systemic issues impeding progress.

The IMC is mandated to conduct a comprehensive technical and financial review of the factory, assess the raw material supply chain, recommend a credible strategic partner, review the Ministry’s operational roadmap, and propose a transition plan toward full-scale operations.

“The Komenda Sugar Factory holds the potential to create enormous jobs in the catchment area and cut down on sugar imports,” Madam Ofosu-Adjare said. She assured that the Ministry would provide the Committee with the necessary resources to execute its work.

Chairman of the IMC, Mr. Kwame Owusu Sekyere (Esq.), expressed gratitude for the confidence reposed in the team. “We are honoured by the trust placed in us and we pledge to deliver on the terms of reference within the timelines,” he said.

Other members of the Committee include Ing. Douglas Mensah, Mr. John Doku, Lt. Col. (Rtd.) George Afful, and Mr. Ransford Vanni Amoah.

The Committee is expected to submit its preliminary report to the Ministry within eight weeks.