By Robert Tachie Menson
Wamfie (B/R), June 1, GNA – The Palm Oil Milling Factory of the Wamfie Cooperative Society is currently producing under capacity, defeating its purpose of making women in the catchment area economically independent.
Mr James Yaw Takyi, the Secretary to the Society, said the factory now produced eight tonnes instead of the 12 tonnes daily operational requirement and attributed the shortfall to financial constraints.
Other challenges include the use of obsolete palm oil milling machines and the lack of logistics to support its operations to guarantee full production capacity.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Wamfie in the Dormaa East District of the Bono Region, Mr Takyi said the factory’s sole milling machine was in poor condition and required urgent replacement after being used for 34 years.
He said it was a big challenge trying to fund some of its key operations and cited the purchasing of palm nuts from individual farmers to feed the factory and means of transport to convey the nuts from the farm gates to the factory as examples.
Mr Takyi said TechnoServe, a United States-based non-governmental organisation (NGO), had partnered with the factory, working through the Dormaa East District Assembly, to facilitate the procurement of a palm oil milling machine.
That, he said, was based on the condition that they would unite with a single purpose to form a cooperative society.
He said that based on the assurances of the NGO, they began to initiate the process of registering 60 farmers; comprising 15 men and 45 women, who constituted actual members of the Society to cultivate 120 acres of oil palm as part of the deal when the factory was established in 1994.
“The project specifically targeted women in the catchment area and how to improve their socio-economic well-being, with a rippling effect on their children. We are proud to have achieved some level of success in spite of the difficulties,” he added.
Mr Takyi said there were other factory hands, mostly women gainfully employed through the projects and now taking care of their families as part of the benefits.
The company had also partnered with the local Business Resource Centre for business advisory services, as well as with an agribusiness organisation, Fruit Pak, to help them acquire a new milling machine.
Under that arrangement the Society was to provide 40 per cent of the payment with the rest to be borne by the organisation, he said.
Mr Takyi bemoaned the inadequate government support for the project, which could generate maximum benefits and bring massive returns to those within the palm oil production value chain.
“Apart from the hand pump borehole project constructed by the District Assembly years ago at the precincts of the factory, no major infrastructure has been seen”, he said.
He appealed to individuals and corporate organisations to support in sustaining the business to keep it in operation for the continuous creation of employment and wealth for the people.
GNA