Absence of power stalls East Gonja Rice Milling Project

A rice milling factory built at Jantong Daboashie in the Gonja East District of the Northern region is being left to rot as the facility lacks source of power to run it.

The 75,000 dollars Rice Milling Project, funded by the Christian Children Fund (CCF) and the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has become a source of worry to many including the farmers who are ready to feed it with their produce.

3FM’s reporter, Zubaida Ismail, who visited the factory, says it is fully installed with machines to start operations.

However, the factory for over a year now, since its establishment, has had no source of power to get it working.

Speaking on Community Connect on 3FM, the Communication Director of the Christian Children Fund, William Anim-Dankwah, was not enthused about the development.

“It is really frustrating because you would want the donor to have value for his money and you also want to be accountable. You suggested that this will be helpful to a community, you get the money and then the equipment is installed and rusting away,” said Mr. William Anim-Dankwah.

The PRO of the Tamale branch of ECG, Alhasan Abaaba, responding to the issue on Community Connect advised the facilitators to apply directly to his office or sign on to the Self Help Electrification Programme (SHEP).

“I don’t know who set up that factory or industry because our service procedure is very clear. So, he who wants power, there are certain process you must follow,” he noted.

Mr. Abaaba, however, added that he will team up with the facilitators of the rice factory to ensure that the factory gets electricity supply.