Cape Coast, July 24, GNA- To complement Government’s efforts in creating jobs for the Ghanaian youth, businesses must commit to Ghana-made machinery for simple tasks to pave way for employment, Mr. Ambrose Thompson Cooke, Chairperson for A.T Cooke Fruits has suggested.
He explained that Ghana has untapped cheap labour which was ready to deliver the same productive results and roles that machines played in businesses.
He indicated that businesses, which tended to use only machines, instead of adding human resources tend to face maintenance difficulties affecting effectiveness particularly because they could not keep us with the cost of their imported machinery and its maintenance.
He was speaking to the media during a tour of his fruit mini factory, which had begun operation on Cape Coast.
The pineapple mini factory produces about 60,000 tonnes per week while construction is underway to commence full operations in March 2023 in a major factory situated in Yamoransa in the Central Region.
The chairman said the only task that was done by a machine at his end was equipment for pineapple juice extraction, “I have employed people to do every other thing that is needed at the factory”
With more than 40 personnel at the mini factory now, he aims to live his dream of employing as many as 150 more by September this year.
“We do not use machines here, but I can tell you our product is of the best quality because generally, hand made products are better than machine-made products”
Nana Boadiwaa Oppong, Managing Director of the factory said though profit was key in every business, their focus was to produce quality delicious pineapple juice.
She said most fruit juices in the country were imported and were highly concentrated with water, sugar, colour, and other chemical preservatives to make it taste good and appear presentable but n the case of A.T Cooke, she said the fresh pineapple juice is produced with no additives and uses pasteurization to get rid of destructive bacteria and to ensure that it stays good for a long period.
She mentioned that generally, the business environment in Cape Coast was welcoming and conducive urging all and sundry to patronize its products because its growth promises jobs for natives.
For her part, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister applauded A.T Cooke’s fruits for complementing the Government’s efforts in providing jobs and enriching the skills of the Ghanaian youth.
She pledged to help revive collapsed businesses to lower the Region’s unemployment and over-dependence rate which would in the long run boost the local economy.
She further called out growers and businesses to actively participate in the “Central Expo 2022” intended to showcase goods and products which she believed would maximize profit and attract investors.
GNA