Saltpond Ceramics to resume Operations in 2018

Negotiations are far advanced with investors to make the defunct Saltpond Ceramic Company (SCC) operational in 2018, Mr Kenneth Kelly Essuman, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Mfantseman has hinted.

He indicated that the Assembly was poised to resuscitate the factory as part of its grand integrated strategy to make the Municipality one of the largest industrial hub in Ghana to create employment for the youth.

The factory, currently known as Ghana Ceramics Company, was a major source of employment in the area but had been defunct for years after its divestiture in the 1990s.

He cited unreliable energy supply as the core reason for the shutdown of the factory but assured that the Assembly in collaboration with some investors would soon begin the construction of an 800 megawatt solar energy to guarantee constant and reliable supply of efficient energy at all times to boost production.

He said the current stable power supply was sufficient reason to boosted investors' confidence to resuscitate the company which had been down for years.

Mr Essuman said this at a town hall meeting held at Mankessim on Tuesday to account to the people as well as seek their opinions on the execution of projects, policies and programmes to accelerate national development.

The MCE observed that the factory would enable the Assembly to rake in more revenue to provide the numerous infrastructure and socio-economic needs of the people.

Touching on raw materials for the company, he pointed out that the quantities of kaolin deposits in the Municipality further reassured the confidence of the investors to give life to the defunct Saltpond Ceramic Factory.

He said "we have large quantities of possible commercial quality of feldspar at Abonko, Amoada, Saltpond, Otsir and Akorbadze to be used as enamel for making household utensils, tiles, porcelain, sanitary ware and minor ceramic uses".

It is also used for building and making of ceramic materials like tiles and is important in glass manufacturing, in scouring soaps, abrasives, pottery and false teeth.

The Municipality also has essential source of raw material for electrical, paints, paper, plastic and other industrial use.

The MCE pledged Government's commitment to ensure that the ceramics company bounced back to life to complement its effort to industrialise the nation through the One District one factory.

Similarly, he said with support from an Israeli partner, the Assembly had also secured about 220 acres of arable lands for the cultivation of vegetables through the use of greenhouse technology.

That would ensure all year food production to add to the country's food buffer stock to improve the lives of the over 500 skilled and unskilled labour to be engaged.

Besides that, in Kwesi Ansa, Anomabo and Abeadzie Akyease, he revealed that hundreds of people would be employed to work on the 300 acre- land earmarked for the cultivation of oil palm to be supplied to Uniliver and other users.

He advised the citizenry to take full advantage of the strategic positioned of the Municipality in addition to its arable lands and take commanding lead in vegetable cultivation through the Government's “Planting for Food and Jobs” programme to better their lot.

Mr Ekow Kwansah Hayford, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area said the Nana Akufo-Addo led-Government was determined to implement prudent policies that will stimulate economic growth to create jobs.

He however rallied the support and constructive criticism from all to transform the nation.