Government Sets Up Interim Committee to Revive Komenda Sugar Factory

In a renewed effort to bring the long-dormant Komenda Sugar Factory back to life, the government has inaugurated a five-member Interim Management Committee (IMC) to spearhead the revival of the facility.

The inauguration ceremony took place on Monday, August 4, 2025, at the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry in Accra.

Speaking at the event, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, described the factory as a “prized national asset” that was originally commissioned under the administration of former President John Dramani Mahama. She noted that despite its potential, the factory had been left to deteriorate due to a combination of operational and supply chain challenges.

The Komenda Sugar Factory dates back to 2013, when the government partnered with Seftech India Pvt to construct a modern, sulphurless sugar processing plant with an initial capacity to produce 125 metric tons of sugar per day. The $36.25 million project was funded by a loan from the India EXIM Bank and a grant from Ghana’s Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), now known as the Ghana EXIM Bank.

Despite further efforts to revive the factory — including strategic partnerships with Park Agrotech in 2020 and West Africa Agro-Tech Company Limited (WAATCO) under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative — operations never reached a sustainable level.

Minister Ofosu-Adjare emphasized that President Mahama’s administration is committed to changing the narrative. The newly formed IMC has been tasked with six key responsibilities:

1. Conduct a technical assessment of the factory’s current assets

2. Review its financial and operational viability

3. Evaluate the sugarcane supply chain

4. Identify a credible strategic investor

5. Assess the Ministry’s roadmap

6. Recommend a clear transition plan toward full operations

She stressed that reviving the factory would help reduce Ghana’s sugar import bill and create jobs in the Central Region and beyond.

Chairman of the committee, Kwame Owusu Sekyere (Esq.), speaking on behalf of the group, thanked President Mahama and the Ministry for the trust placed in them. “We are honoured by the confidence reposed in us. We pledge to diligently work on the terms of reference and deliver within the timelines assigned to us,” he said.

Other members of the IMC include Ing. Douglas Mensah, Mr. John Doku, Lt. Col. (Rtd.) George Afful, and Mr. Ransford Vanni Amoah. The committee is expected to submit its preliminary findings and recommendations within eight weeks.