Simon Osei-Mensah, Nana Asafoakaa Agyei Tabi and Selorm Adadevoh commissioning the plant
A palm oil processing plant worth GH¢740,000 aimed at improving the incomes and livelihoods of women has been commissioned at Juaso – the district capital of the Asante-Akim South Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The facility was built by the MTN Ghana Foundation as part of the telecommunication company’s economic empowerment programme for women in rural communities across the country.
The processing plant is expected to benefit more than 200 women, who are already engaged in palm oil production at Juaso and its surrounding communities.
The women, who were hitherto using obsolete tools in producing the palm oil, have so far received technical skills training on how to operate the machine, in addition to training received on financial management in relation to their businesses.
The plant facility will also serve as a training ground to build the technical capacities of other women into palm oil production. Besides, it will offer the beneficiaries a comfortable working environment.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MTN Ghana, Selorm Adadevoh, said the company saw the need to support the women as part of its commitment to touch lives by investing in areas of education, health and economic empowerment.
According to him, the plant would help improve the lives of the beneficiaries through increased productivity as well as efficient and effective operation of their businesses.
He commended the chief of Juaso – Nana Asafoakaa Agyei Tabi – for releasing land for the project. He asserted that the move underscored the chief’s passion to improve the lives of his people.
Mr. Adadevoh said the Juaso palm oil processing plant is the 145th project executed by the foundation in the country.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah, lauded MTN for the plant, saying that the facility would boost the local economy.
According to him, MTN has been a great partner to government in terms of improving the economic wellbeing of Ghanaians.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Juaso