In a bold government initiative aimed at revitalizing the dormant Komenda Sugar Factory, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry has officially set up an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to spearhead the factory’s operational revival.
The inauguration took place on Monday, August 4, 2025, at the Ministry’s Conference Room, heralding a renewed national commitment to restore the factory to its former operational capacity and economic significance.
During the inauguration ceremony, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Hon. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, emphasized the factory’s importance as a valuable national asset established by the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) government.
However, the factory had languished over time due to various operational and supply chain challenges.
Reflecting on the factory’s history, Minister Ofosu-Adjare recounted that the project began in 2013 when the Government of Ghana commissioned Seftech India Pvt to construct a state-of-the-art sulphurless sugar plant capable of producing 125 metric tons of sugar daily.
The project, initially costing $36.25 million and funded through a loan from India EXIM Bank and a grant from EDAIF (now Ghana EXIM Bank), was designed to expand into ethanol production and power generation.
Despite efforts by subsequent stakeholders, such as Park Agrotech and West Africa Agro-Tech Company Limited (WAATCO) under the 1D1F initiative, the factory has struggled to achieve sustainable operations.
In response, the Minister announced the formation of a high-level IMC tasked with diagnosing and addressing the underlying issues impeding the factory’s viability.
The six-point Terms of Reference provided to the IMC include conducting a technical assessment of the factory’s assets, analyzing its financial and business viability, assessing the sugarcane raw material supply chain, identifying a suitable strategic partner, reviewing the Ministry’s operational strategy, and proposing a transition plan for full operations.
Minister Ofosu-Adjare emphasized the wider national implications of the project, highlighting the potential for job creation in the factory’s vicinity and reducing the country’s reliance on imported sugar.
She affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to providing the necessary support to the IMC for the successful execution of its mandate.
In response, the IMC’s chairman, Mr. Kwame Owusu Sekyere, expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry for entrusting them with the critical task of rejuvenating the factory.
He pledged the committee’s diligent efforts in addressing the Terms of Reference within the specified timelines.
Comprising members such as Ing. Douglas Mensah, Mr. John Doku, Lt. Col. (Rtd.) George Afful, and Mr. Ransford Vanni Amoah, the IMC is expected to submit its preliminary findings and recommendations to the Ministry within eight weeks.
The inauguration of the IMC signals the government’s renewed determination to revitalize one of Ghana’s significant industrial initiatives, transforming it into a sustainable source of employment and promoting local production over imports.