President Akufo-Addo Inspects 1D1F Project in Birim - Commissions Akim Oda - Winneba Water Supply Project

By Rex Mainoo Yeboah

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Saturday, inspected works at the Birim Oil Mill, a palm oil processing plant co-opted into government's 1 District, 1 Factory initiative.

The project, located in Kade, when operated at its fullest capacity, is expected to employ some 300 people with varied technical skills at the factory, including other unskilled labour.

Additionally, some 10,000 workers are expected to be engaged to work on a 25,000 acre land to cultivate oil palm to feed the factory whose main products, includes laundry soaps, personal washing detergents, refined cooking oil and edible palm oil.

Birim Oil Mills Co. Ltd., according to management, has the capability of expanding its current capacity of 30 tonnes/hr to 60 tonnes/hr, indicating that the company has the potential of utilizing the output from 50,000 acre oil palm plantation, which could engage additional hands of over 20,000 people.

Speaking at the factory premises, President Akufo-Addo said, the project would afford existing small holder farmers, to increase their cultivation of oil palm, whilst new and prospective commercial farmers gets attracted to undertake plantation development, leading to increased incomes and improved livelihoods for the people in the Kwaebibirem District and its environs.

The Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Alan Kyerematen, who also spoke at the function, indicated that, government had approved an Incentive Framework specially designed for the 1D1F designated companies.

The Incentives, which include tax holidays, duty waivers, and interest rate subsidy, are designed to help build the capacities and competitiveness of these enterprises, and to position them for greater productivity and efficiency.

He encouraged the Management of Birim Oil Mills Company Limited to take advantage of these incentives available to the One District, One Factory companies.

President Akufo-Addo also commissioned the Akim Oda, Akwatia, Winneba Water Supply Project, constructed with a $164 million facility from the Turkish Exim Bank with $28 million counterpart funding from the Government of Ghana.

The project, which begun in President John Agyekum Kufuor's government, include an off-river reservoir on the Birim River, a water treatment plant, a ground water reservoir at Asene, a 4,000m3 ground level reservoir at Bamanase, a 2,000m3 ground water tank at Winneba, 212.6km distribution network in Akim Oda, 18km distribution network in Akim Manso, 33.7km transmission mains from Asene to Akwatia, and 250m3 elevated water tank at Manso, Amantem, No.4 camp and Winneba.

Later in the day, President Akufo-Addo commissioned a new Science Resource Centre at Ayirebi Senior High School, and a new District Police Headquarters at Ofoase.

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