President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has commissioned a GH¢7.3 million rice processing factory, and a GH¢6.04 million Technology Solution Centre (TSC), both in Savelugu.
This was after a visit to the Yoo Naa’s palace as part of his 2-day tour of the Northern Region.
The Savelugu Rice Factory was constructed under the 1-District-1-Factory Common User Facility (CUF), which is an agro-industrial factory established by the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) under the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The rice factory is a state-of-the-art rice facility, with the capacity to produce between 1.5 and 2.8 tonnes of processed rice per hour. The processing plants installed at the factory include modern parboiling, milling and packaging plants.
The facility also has a standby generator plant and a mechanized borehole to supply water.
The factory, is expected to employ about 118 people including management professionals, factory floor workers and plantation workers who will work on a nucleus rice farm.
In addition, over 600 farmers from Savelugu Municipality and neighboring communities will be directly engaged to supply paddy rice for processing.
With funding from the African Development Bank, the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) has established five (5) of these CUFs nationwide.
Savelugu Technology Solution Centre
The GH¢6.04 million Savelugu Technology Solution Centre (TSC), is one of 5 new facilities being established by the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP).
The other four are located at Kumawu, in the Ashanti Region, Hohoe in the Volta Region, Elmina in the Central Region and Dormaa Ahenkro in the Bono Region.
The five new TSCs are an upgraded version of and an addition to the original 26 Rural Technology Facilities (RTFs) established by REP, across the country in collaboration with GRATIS and the host District Assemblies.
The TSCs are set up to support the Government’s Industrialization Agenda particularly the 1D1F initiative.
The key functions include production of spare parts and repair services for district factories and the oil & gas industry, manufacturing of agro-processing equipment, provide training for human resource capacity building.
To enhance the increased number of trainees, hostel facilities have been provided for both males and females at five of the older TSCs; and to admit trainees from within and outside the districts/municipalities they are located.
Story By: Edward A. Ken-Zorre