The Vice president , John Mahama has hinted that a sugar cane 
factory would be set up in Makango in the East Gonja District in the Northern Region to process ethanol for export. 

The efforts according to the vice president is to help improve the economic fortunes of the people adding that the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) which is tasked with the responsibility of developing the three norther regions and some parts of Brong Ahafo and Volta regions is on course and would address the various problems confronting the targeted areas.

He said under SADA, other projects to be executed included the 
Northern Ghana Groundnuts Project (NGGP) for the processing of 
groundnuts oil for export to Europe.  

Currently,a group from India was conducting feasibility studies towards setting up a jute factory for the mass production of sacks for export to neighbouring countries, he said.  

Market for the ethanol is assured in Sweden for the total produce from the 25 000 hectare sugar cane plantation.

Mr. Lius Fernando Seirra, the Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, assured his country’s preparedness to assist Ghana in any economic venture towards the economic emancipation of its people to strengthen the bilateral relationship.  

Mr. Stephen Sumani Nayina, Northern Regional Minister, said the North was endowed with a lot of economic trees, including the sheanut, but they could not be harnessed because of the lack of capital.  

Mr. Nayina appealed to PBC and the COCOBOD to give attention to the shea industry as was given to cocoa and coffee to ensure that those working with shea products benefit from it to reduce poverty in the North.  

He commended the people of the West and Central Gonja Districts for banning the burning of charcoal and appealed to them to ensure that the laws were enforced so that the sheanut trees would be safe.  

Mr. Anthony Osei Boakye, Managing Director of PBC, in a speech read on his behalf, said during the year under review PBC purchased 120,895 bags of sheanut for export and gave the assurance that the Buipe Factory when completed, would purchase sheanuts directly from the people for processing.

Ghanadistricts.com
DS