Northern Star Tomato Factory: The vision must not die

Article: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Pwalugu I recently engaged some tomato farmers in the Pwalugu area in a conversation during which they raised some concerns about the operations of the Northern Star Tomato Factory formerly known as Pwalugu Tomato Factory. This facility was established under first reign of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah with the intention to process tomato into puree and paste for the local market and for export. Like many other state enterprises, the factory went through problems of its own leading to a collapse at one point in time. 1n 2006, under the reigns of the President John A. Kufuor the factory was revamped. In 2009, when the current NDC administration , the government, through the Ministry of Trade and Industry, assisted the factory with funds to re-equip the factory, payment of the salaries of its skeletal staff as well as for the purchase of tomatoes from farmers. Well since then, the factory has been struggling to operate. Due to the seasonal nature of tomato farming in the region, the factory does not operate all year round. When the produce is out of season, operations at the plant ceases. That has been the cycle till date, leaving one to think why can’t managers diverse operations of the factory to include the processing of other vegetables such as pepper and dawadawa. In my encounter with the farmers, who are obviously stakeholders in the operations of the factory, they revealed to this writer that for nearly two years, barrels of processed tomato paste have been left at the factory due to the unavailability of market. The produce have been crushed into puree and kept in barrels. The factory as it stands now does not have the capacity to process the puree into paste for sale to the public. The farmers told this writer that the tomato processed into puree between 2010 and 2011 were still packed in barrels at the factory premises. They claimed officials occasionally sprinkle salt on the produce to preserve it. In the wake of the recent heavy rains and flooding of the premises of the factory, I and a team journalists joined the MP for Talensi, (the factory is located in his constituency) to inspect the extent the damage caused to the facility as a result of flooding. During our rounds, I came across several barrels of processed puree packed at the factory floor and in a room, confirming the claims of the farmers. Asked what measures had been put in place ensure smooth running of the plant, Mr Adu responded that the factory lacked vacuum pumps to facilitate the process of canning the tomato puree, even though a new machine for the canning had been procured. He therefore appealed to the MP to liaise with the Ministry of Trade and Industrial in placing an international advert to help secure the vacuum pumps since local suppliers failed to respond to a similar advert placed in the local media. Despite the numerous interventions the Northern Star Tomato Factory does not appear to be out of the woods yet, as it continues to lack the capacity and requisite support to operate effectively and efficiently. The factory is a major backbone for thousands of tomato farmers in the region. There is therefore the need to take a hard look at its operations in order to address the challenges facing it. The Pwalugu Tomato Factory, like its cousin, Zuarungu Meat Factory which is also lying idle can be put to optimal operation to not only ensure ready market for the produce but also employ and keep the people especially the hundreds of youth who migrate to the southern parts in search of non-existent jobs in permanent employment. Government must perhaps consider diversifying the operations at the tomato factory by including vegetables like pepper as well as processing of dawadawa into nice packages not only for the local market but also for export. The dream behind the setting up of these factories in the region must not die if it means government to intensify its efforts at securing a private investor to take over the management of the factory. All hope is not lost. The dangerous trio of challenges bedevilling the people of the region are poverty, ignorance and disease and if government can make efforts at retooling and providing enough resources at fully revamping the Northern Star Tomato Factory, it will go a long way in addressing the poverty situation. The people of the region are mainly farmers. A complete revival and diversification of operations at the factory to enable it do all year production and processing will provide farmers enough money to take care of their families and meet their many needs. -End- benjamin.glover@graphic.com.gh GHANA NORTHERN UNION ON METROPOLITAN CHICAGO DONATE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO BOLGA HOSPITAL Story & Pix: Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bolgatanga The Ghana Northern Union of the Metropolitan Chicago in the United States of America, has handed over an assortment of medical equipment and supplies to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital. The forty foot container full of medical equipment and supplies were sourced from a US based group, Children of Abraham, whose aimed is to assist humans and promote peaceful co-existence among God’s children. Among the consignment was a dialysis machine, hospital beds, wheel chairs, ultra sound machines, clutches, microscopes, examination tables, laboratory and surgical equipments and medical consumables among several others all valued at over $ 1.5 million. A member of the union, Mr. Alidu Fuseini, who presented the items to management of the hospital said the donation which was made possible through the Queen Mother of the Chicago Northern Union, Pagnaa Habiba Seidu Fuseini and Professor Rufai Misbau also of Chicago together with members of the union was targeted complementing government’s efforts in helping deliver quality health service to their kith and kin back home. Mr. Fuseini, who is also the Chief Director at the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the union three years ago presented school supplies to schools in Bongo and just last year handing over a state of the art ambulance from the City of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and a similar forty foot consignment of medical equipment and supplies to the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Mr. Fuseini said though the donation was in the name of the Bolgatanga Hospital, he appeal to management and the Regional Health Directorate to dispatch some of the equipment to clinics, health centres and CHPS compounds in the remotest villages to enable the people benefit from it. He also gave the assurance that the people of the Upper West Region will soon also receive their share of assorted medical equipment from the union to help in the health service delivery. Later in an interview with the Daily Graphic, Mr. Fusieni appealed to health workers who refuse postings to the northern parts of the country to reconsider their decision. “They should try and come and they will see the difference. Apparently whenever they come, they tend to stay and don’t even want to go back when they see that this place is not as bad as they think it is”, he said. The region faces serious shortage of health workers including doctors and pharmacists as personnel posted there to work most often refuse the postings. Receiving the items, Deputy Regional Director of Health Service in charge of Public Health, Dr. James Akpablie commended the group for the donation and appealed to various benevolent groups to assist the region’s heath facilities with medical equipment to aid them in the discharge of their duties. “Our hospitals and especially health centers have been in need of so many items and sometimes we are not able to provide certain services because those items are not there. Sometimes we don’t have beds for sick patients so you go to the hospital and some of the patients are lying on the floor and this has been of worry to the managers of the system”, he said Dr. Peter Baffoe, Medical Director of the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital also appreciation to the group and pledged that items will be judiciously used for the benefit of the people. -End- Pix: Benjamin Xornam Glover Mr. Alidu Fuseini, a member of the Ghana Northern Union of Metropolitan Chicago, (in smock) handing over the items to the Deputy Regional Director of Health Services, Dr. James Akpablie. With them are Dr. Peter Baffoe, Medical Director of the Bolga Hospital and other management staff of the hospital