Stakeholders discuss construction of sugar factory at Dipali

A $1 billion dollar sugar factory is to be constructed at Dipali in the Savelugu municipality in the Northern Region under the government's One district, One factory (1D1F) programme.

The construction of the factory, which would begin by the close of this year ( 2018) and completed in three years’ time, is expected to create about 30,000 direct and 60,000 indirect jobs and also stem the rural-urban migration of the youth in the municipality and the region as a whole.

The factory, to be built on a 50,000-hectare of land acquired at Dipali by Base for Industrial and  Environmental Technology, Ghana (BEIT-Ghana), a foreign and a local based partnership firm would also include the cultivation of a sugarcane farm to feed the factory, the establishment of a renewable energy source, a cattle ranch and meat processing factory.

Other social intervention programmes in the project are the construction of a hospital, schools, recreational centre, provision of potable water and roads within the catchment area of the factory.

Stakeholder meeting

This came to light at a stakeholder meeting held at the Tamale Airport between the investors, the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Saeed; the Member of Parliament (MP) for Savelugu,  Alhaji Abdul Samad Gunu; the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Savelugu, Hajia Ayishetu Seidu, and the District Implementation Team (DIT) of the 1D1F.

The occasion was graced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who, in the company of some ministers of state on their way to a funeral in the Upper East Region last Saturday, exchanged pleasantries with the investors at the Tamale Airport.

 At the meeting, the local partner of BIET-Ghana, Mr Archibald Korletey, said feasibility studies for the setting up of the factory had been completed and a sod would be cut for the commencement of the construction of the factory in December, this year.

"We are here to interact with you to make this project a reality. Once the preparatory works have been completed, construction works would begin in earnest," he said.

Economic activities

The foreign partner of BIET-Ghana, Dr Abdulhakeem Halsabou, a scientist and a Qatar-based businessman, for his part, said the factory would not only boost economic activities but help improve the well-being of the people.

In his response, Mr Saeed thanked the investors for the project and pledged the commitment of all stakeholders to the success of the project.

 Mr Gunu also said he would ensure that the investors would get all the tax exemption benefits under the 1D1F to ensure a smooth take off.

Hajia Ayishetu pledged the support of the assembly to the project to ensure that it would come into fruition.

Site visit

The investors, in the company of the MP and the MCE, inspected the 50,000 hectares of land acquired for the project and also paid a courtesy call on the chief of Dipali, Alhassan Musah.

The construction of a sugar factory in the Savelugu municipality has been on the drawing board since former President  J. A. Kufuor’s administration but it did not materialise until now that a strategic investor had been found to bring the project into fruition.