Komenda factory has produced no sugar from sugarcane – Ahomka-Lindsay

Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Robert Ahomka-Lindsay has revealed that the Komenda sugar factory has not produced any sugar from fresh sugarcane since its inception.

He disclosed that contrary to claims by the previous John Dramani Mahama-led administration that the factory produced some bags of sugar; the said sugar which was exhibited to Ghanaians was derived from semi-finished products which the government purchased for showcase.

“The sugar you tasted at that time; the government of Ghana bought semi-processed sugar, part of it was used to process and that is part of what you tasted. We have never put cane sugar through the full system of the Komenda Sugar Factory,” Mr Ahomka-Lindsay said when he appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on Friday, August 11,2017.

Parliament in November 2016 approved a $24.5 million loan facility for a sugar cane and irrigation project to feed the Komenda Sugar Factory after it was shut down some few days after its grand commissioning.

However, Mr Ahomka-Lindsay explained the NPP government is currently working hard to get the factory operational because the variety of sugarcane which was procured for the nursery does not contain adequate amounts of sugar for commercial production.

Mr Ahomka-Lindsay also added that government currently owes the contractors who worked on the factory to the tune of seven million dollars.