Coronavirus: 1D1F Secretariat conducts impact assessment on operation of factories

The Secretariat of government’s flagship One District One Factory (1D1F), led by its National Coordinator, Gifty Ohene Konadu, is currently embarking on a tour to assess the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the operations of factories under the 1D1F initiative.

According to the spokesperson of the Secretariat, Kwaku Gyasi, the team commenced a tour of factories in the Ashanti Region on Tuesday and is expected to complete the tour on Friday, May 15, 2020.

He adds that the aim of the tour is to also serve as an opportunity for the secretariat to monitor the progress of factories currently operational and ones that are still under construction.

Kwaku Gyasi tells GhanaWeb that the team on its first day of the tour visited the construction sites of about five factories including Western DewDew in Agona, Agro Africa in Asankare, Rider Iron and Steel Ghana Limited In Konongo Odumasi, Ababio Express In Asokore Mampong and Best Fertilizer Company all of which he says are expected to be completed before the end of the year.

Speaking to the media after Tuesday's round of tour, the National Coordinator of 1D1F, Gifty Ohene Konadu, said her outfit remains committed in ensuring the completion of all 1D1F projects under construction.

"Due to the COVID-19, works on our projects have slowed a bit which has also affected expectations. But the good aspect is that we are making progress. Our visit today indicates that we will get the needed result at the appropriate time." She said.

Speaking on the status of already commissioned projects, Madam Ohene Konadu said majority of factories commissioned under the 1D1F initiative are in production, adding that the new crop of factories currently under construction when completed, will go a long way to help cut the rate of unemployment in the country.

A lot of the existing factories (brownfields) which applied for support from the Secretariat under the 1D1F program are already in production. With the new ones that we had to start from scratch too, a lot of them are now producing such as the Ekumfi Pineapple Juice Factory." She added.