Anglican Diocese of Koforidua invest in oil palm processing

Koforidua, Aug. 6, GNA - The Koforidua Diocese of the Anglican Church is constructing 65,000 US dollars oil mill at Kwabeng in the Atiwa District, to provide market for the produce of farmers and to create employment for the youth in the area.

Installation of the machines for the mill, which has the capacity of producing 10 tons of oil palm and palm kernel oil per an hour, was expected to be completed by the end of the month for production to start.

An eight-member management board of the Kwabeng Oil Palm Processing Mill, was inaugurated as part of activities marking the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the diocese at Koforidua.

Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Church, Right Reverend Francis Benjamin Quashie, charged the board to appoint a manager who has strong vision to translate the objectives of the Mill into actions and to ensure that value was added to by-products for optimum profit.

He asked the board to apply best practices to transform the Mill into a self-sustaining and profitable venture to support the church.

Rt. Rev. Quashie said the diocese would assist the oil mill to grow into the leading quality oil palm processing mill in Ghana and the West African sub-region.

He said the church had decided to invest in the various parishes so that they could generate income to support their activities and crate employment but all had failed with the exception of the Kwabeng Anglican Second and Technical Senior High School and the Kwabeng Oil Palm plantation.

He explained that the church has decided to seek funding for the Kwabeng oil palm plantation because of its potentials to add value to its produce, crate employment and increase the income of farmers in the district.

Rev. Father Edward Baah Asamani, the Diocesan Project Officer, said the Mill would seek local and international market for its products.