Komenda Sugar Factory 98% complete; to undergo test run in July – Alan Kyerematen

The Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen has revealed that the Komenda Sugar Factory is 98 per cent complete.

According to the Minister, major works undertaken at the factory have been completed, therefore it will undergo a test run in July 2022.

Mr Alan Kyerematen made these revelations while answering questions in Parliament on Tuesday.

The factory, commissioned by former President John Mahama before the 2016 election, has been under lock and key mainly because managers of the factory say there are not enough raw materials to feed the factory.

President Akufo-Addo after assuming office has given two separate timelines for the factory to begin operation, yet that has not been actualised.

However, Mr Alan Kyerematen said the government is steadily working on the project to ensure its completion.

Providing more details on the stages of work, the Minister stated that:

1. Installation of a new pipeline to and from the plant to the morlasi stand is 100 per cent complete.
2. Refectories and lagging work and boiler furnace and chimneys are 100 per cent complete.
3. Vacuum and water testing at the boiler house have been completed. The boiler has started working and a steam pressure test is ongoing for the turbine to generate power of roughly 3 megawatts of electricity output.
4. Equipment and machinery at the mill house, boiler and power sections have all been overhauled, repaired and components replaced where necessary.
5. Electrical and instrumentation work with all motors in the boiler section have been maintained and repaired.
6. Construction of a new water reservoir of 2 million litre capacity has been completed and this is an enhancement from the existing reservoir of 150,000 litres which was inherited.
7. Some blasting to remove rust and further corrosion of equipment to maintain the integrity of all the metal surfaces at the factory has been completed.
8. Construction of new chemical storage warehouse, canteen and new washroom for both genders are ongoing.
9. A new warehouse for raw sugar which would have a jumbo bag of between 1 tone to 5,000 tonnes capacity for the storage of sugar is currently ongoing.
10. New begat carrier platforms construction work has been completed.
11. The turbine for electricity production has been overhauled and it is currently under production test.
12. Concerning civil works, the whole factory building and warehouse have been reroofed to stop leakages and corrosion.
13. The raw material warehouse, as well as the fencing of the entire factory premises, are under construction.

When pressed about claims that the government has caused financial loss to the state by not opening the factory, the sector Minister said no such loss has occurred.

According to him, a four-acre land was being prepared to support sugarcane development to feed the factory.