25-10-12
The Northern Star Tomato Factory (NSTF) formerly the Pwalugu
Tomato factory is in dire need of vacuum pumps to facilitate its operation in
December 2012. The existing pumps which serve as the heart of the company’s
plant has become obsolete and dysfunctional making the plant to run at a slow
pace in terms of puree production. Though the company is currently out of
operation due to shortage of raw materials, the absence of new vacuum pumps to
replace the existing faulty ones would to larger extent create problems not
only for the company but farmers as well. The reason, management explains is
because tomatoes produced by farmers to feed the company would be left to rot
since the pumps cannot function as expected. Outlining the company’s challenges
to Radio Ghana during a visit of the new DCE for Talensi, Mr. Samuel Adu, an
official of the company said the company is set to become fully operational
should government intervene in providing new pumps to facilitate its work. He
however reiterated the urgent need for the procurement of new pumps to enable
the company begin operation in December as publicly announced in the media. Mr.
Adu said management of the company on numerous platforms has appealed for the
replacement of the old vacuum pumps and was looking forward to a favourable
response from government through the Ministry of Trade and Industry. The
provision of the pumps, which he noted could be procured in South Africa, could
help in addressing the hullaballoo’s associated with the operations of the
company as it has in recent times come under constant criticism from various
quaters including a section of the media. The DCE for the newly created Talensi
District, Edward Ayanore, in reaction to the concern raised said he will liaise
with the appropriate authorities for prompt action to be taken. According to
him, government places much premium in the area of industrialization and would
leave no stone unturned in reviving all defunct factories in the country.
Efforts, he however assured, would be made to tackle the urgent needs of the
company. Mr. Ayanore entreated farmers to exercise restraints as
government takes prudent steps to improve their farming activities. He moreover
appealed to management of the NSTF to consider increasing the pricing level of
tomatoes produced for the company by farmers since bargaining price pegged for
farmers in the region is nothing to write home about as compared to prices
tagged at the various market centers. Mr Ayanore was optimistic that
with equal and fair pricing level, tomato farmers were sure
of reaping the benefit of their labour.
GBC END IA/
No comments:
Post a Comment