News Details

The Rural Enterprises Programme (REP), on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, took over four (4) 1D1F ENABLE Youth factory buildings in the Ashanti Region following the completion of works by the contractor, Messrs. Asona Enterprises Ltd. The factory buildings are located in Aboantem in the Mampong Municipality (maize processing), Effiduase in the Sekyere East District (cassava processing), Ahyiaem in Asante Akim Central Municipality (cassava processing), and Donuaso in the Ejisu Municipality (rice processing).

Keys to the factory buildings were handed over to the National Director of REP, Kwasi Attah-Antwi, by the Contractor through the supervising Consultant for the project, Agri-Systems Engineering Consult & Jerry Williams Ltd. Agrisystems were represented by Dela Adabor, Keteku and while the contractor was represented by Charles Kwame Frimpong (Project Manager), Kojo Amoako and Francis Nkrumah (both site supervisors).

All handing over events were attended by the respective Municipal/District Chief Executives as follows Thomas Appiah Kubi (Mampong), Mary Boatemaa Marfo (Sekyere East), Susan Akomeah (Asante Akim Central), and Beatrice Serwaa Derkyi (Ejisu).

Also present at the handing over ceremonies were other senior staff of the respective Municipal/District Assemblies and some representatives of the beneficiary graduate youth groups.

National Director of REP, Kwasi Attah-Antwi, acknowledged the delay in the execution of the 1D1F ENABLE Youth initiative and but assured that things are now back on track for swift completion of the factories. He announced that procurement has already started with an advert placed in the dailies and REP website for the equipment suppliers.

He entreated the beneficiary graduate youth to see the 1D1F ENABLE Youth factories, as startups that they must work hard to grow into the much bigger industries. He explained that by their establishment as 1D1F companies, the ENABLE Youth businesses have access to all the incentives under the 1D1F policy.

He advised the beneficiary youth groups and their members to begin engaging in the related value chain activities particularly the cultivation of the various commodities needed to feed the factories. He directed the youth to contact the various Business Resource Centres and Business Advisory Centres to seek support in starting the necessary value chain businesses or strategic business units, either individually or joint.

Consultant for the project acknowledged the enormous support received from the respective MDCEs, particularly the MCE for Asante Akim Central, Susan Akomeah, is among the first to secure a transformer for the ENABLE Youth factory.

At the Ejisu handing over, the Chief of Donuaso, Nana Akwasi Agyekum II, who is also the Maawerehene of Ejisu, was present with some of his elders. Nana Agyekum II advised the beneficiary graduate youth to appreciate the gesture from the Government, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and work harder to make the factory successful. He pledged to make himself available to provide them the needed support.