A mini-industrial gari processing factory located at Jolinyiri in the Daffiama Bussie Issa District of the Upper West region has been left unproductive, over three years after completion.
Under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment, Science Technology and Innovation in collaboration with external partners, the project is one of the Sustainable Land and Water Management projects aimed at food security and value addition.
The Mini Industrial Gari Processing Center is the district’s share of the One District, One Factory policy initiated by the government to industrialize local economies.
Speaking to UpperWestNews,com, the District Director of Agriculture, Samuel Oteng Poku, said the factory has not operated since the initial test run.
He said the factory was initially built to run on a diesel machine, which posted higher management costs, and attempts to convert to electricity have also stalled.
“ When it was completed, there was a diesel changfan machine which ran it. I learnt there was a test run, so it worked. Now the only problem they were facing was the high cost of diesel.
They rather needed to tap electricity. There is a pole which is just less than ten meters from the facility, so the wires are there, they only need to apply to VRA for a meter and connect the whole place. So that, the water can be pumped and all machines can operate on electricity. There is nothing wrong with the facility” Mr. Oteng said
He also expressed his frustration at the continuous shutdown of the facility though all the machines are in good condition.
Not a grain of gari has been produced since the project was completed” he said.
