A cassava processing factory, built by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta region, has been abandoned and left non-operational since its commissioning in August 2023. This neglect has rendered the facility useless, defeating its intended purpose.
The NPP, during its 2016 election campaign, promised to build a factory in each district to promote industrialization across the country. At the commissioning event, Municipal Chief Executive for Ketu South, Maxwell Kofi Lugudor, proclaimed the factory fully operational, showcasing the government’s commitment to its promises.
However, nearly a year later, the factory remains inactive, with no cassava processing taking place. A recent visit by our reporter revealed the facility, located on a six-acre plot at Gbedzekope near Agbozume, in a state of decay. The building suffers from weather damage, with roofs and window meshes deteriorating.
The expensive processing machines and other equipment are rusting away, unprotected and unmaintained. With no security measures in place, the site has been overtaken by weed-smoking gangs, turning it into an eyesore.
Local residents and cassava farmers have raised concerns and called for authorities to address the situation, but their appeals have been ignored. This neglect raises questions about the rationale behind investing the nation’s limited resources in projects that become abandoned and burdensome to the national budget.
Many believe that the project’s commissioning, which included a staged demonstration of cassava processing into gari, was merely a show to deceive the public. This incident highlights the need for better oversight and accountability in the execution of government projects.
