- Komenda residents protest sugar factory lease.
- Demand full govt ownership, fear harm to local farmers.
- Minister defends lease to revive factory operations.
- Minority to summon Minister, residents threaten demo.
Residents of Komenda in the Central Region are up in arms against the government’s plan to lease the Komenda Sugar Factory to a private company. The government intends to lease the Komenda Sugar Development Company Limited to West Africa Agro Limited, an Indian-based firm, for a renewable term of 15 to 20 years.
Minister of Trade and Industry K.T. Hammond claims that this initiative aims to revive the company’s operations to meet domestic demand for sugar. However, the residents of the area are vehemently opposing the move, threatening to demonstrate if the government doesn’t rescind its decision.
Samuel Awudzirato, Convenor for Concerned Residents of Komenda, called on the government to reverse the decision, emphasizing that they want the factory to be fully owned by the government. He expressed concerns about the impact of the lease on local farmers, stating that the lease process would only benefit the private company.
Awudzirato hinted at a possible demonstration, saying, “There will be a demonstration very soon. We demand that the government doesn’t lease the factory to any entity.” The minority has also disclosed their intention to summon Trade Minister K.T Hammond to Parliament to answer questions on the lease agreement.
The Komenda Sugar Development Company Limited, established in 1964, halted operations for an extended period before being revamped with a $35 million loan from the Indian Export-Import Bank in 2016. The factory is currently undergoing a test run in preparation for full production, but the residents’ protest and parliamentary summons may halt the lease agreement.
