The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has cut the sod for the construction of a watermelon processing factory at Walewale in the North East Region.

It is part of the government’s One-district, One-factory (1D1F) industrialisation agenda.

The factory is a subsidiary of Champion Foods and Beverages Limited, producers of the Healthilife range of juices and beverages, and is expected to be operational by the end of next year.

The agro-processing venture is expected to create direct employment for between 300 and 400 people, as well as provide a ready market for about 2,000 peasant farmers, virtually eliminating the annual post-harvest losses in the watermelon growing enclave of Walewale and surrounding towns and villages.

A statement issued from the Jubilee House said the benefits of the factory to the local economy were enormous in terms of job creation and improving the incomes of farmers, farm hands and drivers along the value chain.

Sod-cutting ceremony

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony yesterday, Dr Bawumia indicated that the GH¢35-million factory, which is being funded by the Ghana Export-Import Bank (Ghana Exim), was in support of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s efforts to reduce the phenomenon of rural-urban migration and revitalise the nation’s industrial base.

“The President pledged before Ghanaians his commitment to pursue an aggressive industrialisation drive and add value to agricultural produce through the flagship 1D1F programme.

Under the programme, about 181 factories are at various stages of completion, with some 58 of them already completed.

“The progress made by the government in line with this commitment is very significant for a three-year old government,” he said.

The Vice-President urged farmers to take advantage of the factory to scale up the cultivation of watermelon and produce to the required standards, adding: “This is a dream come true. The fear of post-harvest losses will be eliminated by this factory. Farmers are also encouraged to explore all-year round farming in order to regularly feed the watermelon factory.”

Funding

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana EXIM Bank, Mr Lawrence Agyensaim, said GH¢100 million had been set aside for the establishment of factories in the five northern regions, and that his outfit was working assiduously with the promoters of the factories to ensure their speedy operationalisation.

“The Ghana Exim Bank is ready to support President Akufo-Addo’s vision of 1D1F. Just as we supported the construction of the Ekumfi Juice Factory, we are also supporting the construction of this factory and many more for the greater development of Ghana,” he added.

Hospital

Vice-President Bawumia also cut the sod for the construction of a 100-bed hospital in Walewale to increase access to healthcare services in the North East Region.

The hospital is expected to be completed in 12 months and will have the full complement of facilities and units of a modern health delivery facility, including a pharmacy and a physiotherapy unit, general and radiology laboratories and eye care and dental units.

It is being financed by the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

Addressing the chiefs and the people last Monday, Dr Bawumia recalled the promise made by the New Patriotic Party to facilitate the establishment of quality health-care institutions.

He said the promise had led to the construction, completion and upgrading of many health facilities, with thousands of unemployed health workers having been engaged and the National Health Insurance Scheme also improved.

GNPC

Speaking on behalf of the GNPC, its General Manager in charge of Sustainability, Dr Kwame Baah-Nuakoh, pledged his outfit’s commitment to ensure the successful completion of the project in the stipulated period, emphasising that a healthy population was a wealthy people.

Dr Bawumia also inspected ongoing work on an Astro Turf football pitch, which is 95 per cent complete, and interacted with the contractor and workers on the project.