Foreign investors tour ‘abandoned’ Aboso Glass Factory

As part of government’s commitment to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth in the country under "One-District, One-Factory" project, the Aboso Glass Factory in the Prestea-Huni Valley Municipality in the Western Region has received a positive news as investors from Czech Republic were taken round the abandoned factory.

The factory tour which lasted for about two hours was very promising as inspection of the equipment and machines were carried out and the investors were also advised accordingly.

The Commercial Counselor for the Czech Republic Embassy in Ghana, Mr. Tomàs Zàzvorko was taken round the factory by Mr. Joe Amantana, the Chief Engineer of the factory.

In the Processing Department was a completely new processing plant which was installed twenty years back but was never used, a Compressor Room which has absolutely new Compressors, the Powerhouse, and at the Store Rooms were raw materials ranging from broken bottles, silica sand, about 5000 bags of caromite, more than 5000 pieces of sprite bottles, tons of Soda among others.

Overwhelmed by the machinery and all he saw at the factory, Mr. Zàzvorka said, "I'm surprised the things am seeing here, how can a factory having all these in place and be non-operation"? I thought I was coming to see a collapsed factory with nothing in the rooms, a bushy environment and stuff, I don't see rubbish and used rubbers are not lettered around".

He added that, "I will give my recommendations and hope that it will sit well with the investors for the necessary action".

The MCE pledged government’s support for the investors to help revamp the factory to create more jobs for the youth.

Speaking to www.ghanaweb.com after the inspection, the Engineer on site who took the entourage around, Mr. Amantana also remarked that most of the old hands are around and will support with the needed expertise to make things work again.

Some of the security men at the factory who are all ex workers of the factory lamented they have not been paid for the past four months.

The Aboso Glass Factory produces glasses, bottles, sprite, coke, muscatella among others, if revamped will create over 4000 direct and indirect jobs for the youth in the Municipality and its environs.

Member of Parliament for Prestea-Huni Valley Constituency who doubles as a Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Lawyer Barbara Oteng Gyasi, announced to the delight of the Chiefs and people that a s Starch Factory which is to be built in Huni Valley will produce starch for exports under Ghana Export Promotion Authority's policy of 'One District One Export Product'.

A mining company in the Municipality, Golden Star Bogoso-Prestea Limited has also committed its resources to build an Oil Mill for palm oil processing in Bogoso which is likely to commence in 2018.