"Alata" soap manufacturers cry for government help

Accra, Sep. 23, GNA - Local small scale manufacturers of "Alata" soap, have appealed to government to intervene in the rising cost of materials especially copra, which they said was killing the sub-sector. Making the appeal on Tuesday, Ms Nerissa Nortey, Manageress of Neff Alata Soap Manufacturing Limited said, the soap popularly called "Alata Samina" for sometime now had been in short supply as a result of increase price on the local market.

The female Ghanaian entrepreneur, who made the appeal in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, noted that the soap had catch-up with Ghanaian and non-Ghanaian residents alike so much so that consumers were now complaining of the rising price. She added that government's attention on the sector would improve value addition and make the product more competitive at the external market.

Ms Nortey further suggested that support to the industry such as cutting down on the export of coconut oil, would be more beneficial to the country and enable local manufacturers to have the needed oil supply to save the industry from collapse.

According to her, for more than a year now, coconut oil had been scarce on the local market, hence the price hike.

"If the price of the coconut oil continues to rise, I do not think we the manufactures can stay in business but to pull out as many have already done," Madam Nortey said indicated that the situation was compelling consumers to resort to foreign soap products. "When you compare the prices, one kilogram of "Alata" soap is selling between GH¢1.80 to GH¢2.00 whilst three kilograms of China soap sells at one cedi", she added. Ms Nortey said not only had she laid-off five of her workers, but also her colleague in the same business, who could also not cope with the situation, had abandoned the business. She stressed that the future of Alata soap making was very bright, and therefore all effort should be made to make the raw materials readily available.

Meanwhile, she said the local soap manufacturing group had complained to the National Board for Small Scale Industry (NBSSI) but it was yet to response on the matter.

When the GNA contacted the NBSSI, Mr Anthony Kwame Selormey, Greater Accra Regional Manager for the board, confirmed the rising prices of coconut oil and the difficulty it had brought to the Alata soap business.

He, however, attributed the price increase to the Cape Saint Paul's disease that was affecting coconut plantations, thereby, reducing production of coconut oil.

Mr Selormey promised that the Board would work at sensitizing the refiners to add value to the coconut oil instead of exporting it raw in order to save the industry.

He called on other agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and agricultural Non Governmental Organisations to join in the cause to advocate for the plight of the small scale entrepreneur. Alata soap is 100 percent natural, made from a roasted plantain skin mixed with the crush cocoa pod, palm kernel oil, and coconut oil. It is soft with a natural smell that produces a rich foam lather that is effective in cleansing the body, face and shampooing the hair.