The Minister-designate for Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has pledged to revamp the Komenda Sugar Factory.While appearing before Parliament's Appointments Committee on January 22, 2025, she addressed the factory’s inactivity, pointing to challenges such as insufficient raw materials, missing components, and lingering operational hurdles.

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“I have been told that, as we speak, the Komenda Sugar Factory is not operational. One of the major challenges the factory has faced is the lack of raw materials to feed the industry, as well as some missing parts,” she noted, addressing the long-standing issues plaguing the factory.The Komenda Sugar Factory, built with a lot of money from the government, was meant to cut down on sugar imports and provide jobs for Ghanaians.

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But since it was opened in 2016, the factory has faced problems that have caused it to stop running at times.Ghana still spends about $500 million each year to bring in sugar, a situation the minister-designate says cannot continue.

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“It’s obvious we need that factory to work for the benefit of Ghanaians because we are importing about half a billion dollars' worth of sugar into the country,” she explained, stressing the economic implications of the factory’s inactivity.Ofosu-Adjare mentioned that money was set aside in the past to fix the factory's problems, but it’s still not clear what condition the factory is in now.

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“I have also been told that monies were released to solve these problems. A full evaluation of the factory’s overall health needs to be conducted, and I will work to ensure we determine the exact condition of the factory,” she said, signaling her intention to prioritize a thorough assessment.Once in office, the minister-designate pledged to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to restore the factory to full functionality.

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“I will work with the ministry to assess the factory’s health and ensure that Ghana benefits from this monumental project,” she concluded.

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