Works on the Ekumfi Fruits and Juices processing factory is steadily progressing with the factory said to be about 80% complete.
The building structure meant to house the equipment and or machinery for processing the fruits into juice have been erected, roofed and floored with concrete.
External works including the construction of drains are busily ongoing while metals for the installation of a warehouse to store the products have also been erected.
The plant site has also been connected to the national grid.
Company officials say they are hopeful that by the end of March, they will bring finality to all the block and plastering works and move on to painting and installation of the processing equipment and or machinery.
The Director of Operations, Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Company Limited, Frederick Kobbyna Acquah, briefing the National Coordinator for 1D1D following her visit to the site, Wednesday, that they have made enough progress to bring the factory on stream.
According to him, all the equipment and or machinery for installation have procured and imported, believing that end of April, 2019, they would be installed to begin test runs in third quarter of the year.
He is very confident that the GH₵7.7million factory will go into production in the fourth quarter of the year.
The Ekumfi Fruits and Juices Company Limited was the first factory under the 1D1F flagship initiative to be commissioned by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on August 25, 2017.
It was expected to have commenced production in the first quarter of 2018.
However, issues of site preparation coupled with some other factors have caused the delay of the factory located at Ekumfi-Nanaben in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region.
But Mr. Acquah reacting to the delay for the commencement of production said they had to spend a lot time in securing a level ground for the installation of the processing plant.
“Production hinges on three things; the raw materials, the building and the equipment or machinery. So, we first had to level the ground to secure a working area which is 200 x 100 meters. Mind you the place was hilly and we had to spend lots of resources to get to where we are today”, he noted.
Hon. Mrs. Gifty Ohene-Konadu, commenting on the facility told journalists that she is much impressed with the level of work done on the facility.
According to her, when she last visited the site in January, 2019, the company had only been successful in levelling the ground and was half-way through with the erection of the metals.
“Today, all of you have seen the level of progress of this facility. I will therefore appeal to all critics of the 1D1F to come onboard and assist us to implement this laudable initiative of the President together. Timelines at this point is not necessary considering the changes in the rainfall patterns in the country. We want development and what is important at this point is the fact that the factory is on course to commencing production”, she noted.
