Ghana Sugarcane Outgrowers demand dissolution of Komenda Sugar Factory interim committee 

GHANA – The Sugarcane Outgrowers Association of Ghana has called for the immediate dissolution of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) overseeing the Komenda Sugar Factory, alleging that the committee has failed to meet its mandate and is hindering efforts to revive the long-stalled facility.  

According to the Association, the IMC’s inability to meet the eight-week deadline for submitting its report to the Presidency has eroded confidence among farmers who depend on the factory for their livelihood. 

The association expressed concern that the missed deadline had diminished hopes for the factory’s operationalization, despite earlier assurances from government officials. 

The group recalled several public commitments made by senior members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration. It cited President John Dramani Mahama’s pledge that the Komenda facility would be revived.  

In addition, former minister Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare reportedly assured the Paramount Chief of Komenda later that same month that the government had prioritized the factory. 

Further commitments were made in June, when Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, met with outgrower leaders in Komenda and said the factory’s revival was imminent.  

In July, Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang also assured chiefs and residents of Komenda of the government’s continued commitment. 

Despite these assurances, the Association said the IMC had become a major obstacle. It explained that the committee was tasked with preparing a report within eight weeks to guide the next steps toward reopening the plant.  

However, the expiration of the timeline without progress, coupled with the factory’s absence from the 2026 national budget, had led the group to attribute the lack of movement to the committee’s shortcomings. 

The statement stressed that responsibility should not be placed on the President, Vice President, or the Finance Minister, but rather on the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the IMC. According to the Association, had the committee submitted its report on time, the factory might have secured a budgetary allocation. 

The group emphasized that the livelihoods of sugarcane farmers are directly tied to the factory’s revival. The Association argued that the committee appears to be repeating past patterns that left the factory idle and worsened the economic situation of farmers. 

The statement concluded with a renewed call for the immediate dissolution of the IMC, asserting that decisive action is required to restore progress toward reviving the Komenda Sugar Factory. 

Originally established in 1964 under President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the Komenda Sugar Factory has faced multiple setbacks over the decades, but stakeholders continue to hope for its eventual revival. 

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