Minister assures resumption of stalled 1D1F projects

Construction works on some of the stalled factories, under the government’s One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) projects across the country will resume soon, Dr. Freda Prempeh, a Minister of State in-charge of Works and Housing has assured.

She explained construction works on many of the factories had experienced funding shortages and the government was working hard to draw resources from the Exim Bank for work to resume on the factories.

Dr. Prempeh explained the government had prioritised the 1D1F programme and was determined to facilitate the completion of the factories because the programme had the potential to create jobs for the youth and to boost the national economic growth.

Dr. Prempeh, also the Member of Parliament for Tano North constituency in the Ahafo Region gave the assurance when she inspected progress of work on the Tanoso Brick and Tile factory under the 1D1F in the region.

The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered from residents around the project site that Rhovanni Royal Limited, contractors, had not been on site for about years now, with the project left under the mercy of the weather.

Although the main administration block and other auxiliary facilities had been completed, weeds had taken over some major work done on the factory.

Dr. Prempeh later explained to the GNA that the project was about 60 per cent complete, saying, on completion the factory would create about 3,000 direct and indirect jobs in the area, and added the construction of the administration blocks created job opportunities for about 1,800 locals.

She said machines and equipment for the factory were ready in Italy and expressed the hope that the Exim Bank would release funds to Ghana at least by the close of 2022, so that the machines and equipment would be installed within the first quarter of 2023.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo visited the project site on April 13, 2019, barely three years ago and expressed his satisfaction with the progress of work on the factory.

The large deposit of clay in the Tanoso enclave places the enterprise in a competitive position to contribute positively towards construction of affordable housing for Ghanaians.

On completion, the factory is expected to use raw materials to produce durable products such as bricks, roofing tiles, terracotta and wall tiles and panels to promote the local construction industry.