Sugarcane farmers urge Trade Minister to prioritize revival of Komenda Sugar Factory 

The Sugarcane Farmers Association of Ghana is demanding urgent action from the Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu- Adjare, to revive the long-idle Komenda Sugar Factory.

In a statement issued on May 4, the Association expressed disappointment with the Ministry’s recent response to their appeal, calling it “unconvincing” and lacking urgency.

According to the farmers, the NDC administration, under President John Mahama, must avoid repeating the inaction seen during the previous NPP government’s tenure, which they accuse of failing to operationalize the factory despite multiple promises.

“We campaigned and voted for John Mahama because we believed he could revive this factory to improve our livelihoods,” the Association stated. They noted with concern that, two months after the Minister’s visit to Komenda, there has been no visible activity at the factory, nor was it captured in the 2025 national budget.

The Association is calling on the government to immediately constitute a board of directors for the factory, stressing the need for competent leadership and the inclusion of a farmers’ representative. “We are ready to feed the factory with sugarcane. All we need is government commitment,” they said.

Speaking on *Y?n Nsempa*, the morning show on Onua FM hosted by Nana Yaa Brefo Danso, Secretary of the Association, Nana Joshua Kingsley Mensah, reiterated the frustrations of the farmers. “We feel deceived. After the Minister’s visit in February, we expected action. But there’s nothing happening on the ground,” he said.

He added, “The livelihoods of hundreds of sugarcane farmers depend on the revival of this factory. We are ready to work, but the silence from the government side is worrying.”

Nana Joshua also stressed the need for farmers to be included in the decision-making process. “We are not just suppliers—we are stakeholders. Our representation on the factory board is non-negotiable.”

The farmers reminded President Mahama of his public assurance to make the Central Region a major sugar-producing hub, urging him to match words with action. “Time is ticking,” Nana Joshua warned, “and if care is not taken, the four-year mandate will end with the factory still lying idle.”

By Henry Eliud Yankey

The post Sugarcane farmers urge Trade Minister to prioritize revival of Komenda Sugar Factory  first appeared on 3News.

Read Full Story