Minister-Designate for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has expressed readiness to revive the Komenda Sugar Factory, describing it as critical to reducing Ghana’s reliance on sugar imports and boosting the local economy.
During her vetting before Parliament today, she emphasized the urgent need to breathe new life into the factory, which has remained dormant for years.
“I have been told that as we speak, the Komenda Sugar Factory is not operational, and one of the major challenges the factory has suffered is the lack of raw materials to feed that industry and some missing parts,” she stated. Her remarks laid bare the pressing issues that have crippled the factory since its commissioning.
She disclosed that funds had already been released to address some of these challenges but acknowledged that much more needs to be done. “The total health of the factory should be done after an evaluation. So I will work to ensure we know the actual health of the factory,” she pledged.
She noted that the country’s overdependence on imported sugar, which costs the millions annually, is a major reason the Komenda Sugar Factory must be operational. “We need that factory to work for the benefit of Ghanaians because we are importing about half a million dollars’ worth of sugar into the country,” she added.
The Komenda Sugar Factory, built in the Central region at a cost of US$35 million, was envisioned as a beacon of industrial transformation. The project was meant to reduce Ghana’s staggering sugar import bill—estimated at US$500 million annually—while creating jobs and driving local sugarcane cultivation.
However, the factory’s story has been one of unfulfilled potential. Since its commissioning, it has faced numerous setbacks, including the unavailability of raw materials, technical issues, and operational inefficiencies.
The once-celebrated initiative has since become a symbol of missed opportunities, its machinery gathering dust and its workers left in limbo.
“Once I take office, I will work together with the ministry to ensure we assess the health of the factory and ensure Ghana benefits from that monumental project,” she said.
