By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
A soap manufacturing factory to provide economic empowerment for women residents of Dokyiwaa, a farming community in the Obuasi West Municipality of the Ashanti region, has been inaugurated.
The soap manufacturing project, constructed at a cost of one point-eight million Ghana Cedis is the culmination of the soap making, products labeling, packaging and branding training of women selected from the Dokyiwa farming community.
It is also to guarantee the beneficiary women means of putting their newly acquired economic skills into practical and income earning venture.
The women, after the training, have formed the ‘Dokyiwa Women’s Cooperative Group’, have been trained to manage and sustain it in operation.
The project is part of a long term plan to diversify and sustain the local economy within the entire Obuasi enclave with or without gold mining activities.
It is exclusively for the women residents of the Dokyiwa community as part of efforts at giving them economic empowerment to be financially self-reliant.
The facility, built by AngloGold Ashanti, with the support of the Obuasi West Municipal Assembly and the Kunka traditional authority will manufacture various types of soaps, including Alata samina, toilet and liquid soap.
The factory has a production hall, packaging room, an office and staff common room.
It has been provided with all the required raw materials to sustain operations for at least, six months after which it is supposed to be self-sustaining.
The Community Relations Manager of AngloGold Ashanti, Edmund Oduro Agyei, explained that, the goal for the training and building of the soap manufacturing factory is not only to empower the local women economically, but to serve as an alternative livelihood source to the people of Dokyiwa.
“Our goal with this factory extends beyond production; we aim to generate sustainable income, create meaningful employment opportunities, and foster a self-sustaining community business that benefits all stakeholders”, Mr. Agyei explained.
The Chief of Kunka, Nana Kwaku Ponko, advised the workers to ensure regular maintenance for the community to derive maximum benefits from the facility.
He said, “it’s worrying when we’re unable to maintain new projects handed over to us. So the Association, prioritize regular maintenance of this factory so we can always return to meet it in good condition.”
The Obuasi West Municipal Chief Executive, Madam Faustilove Appiah-Kanin, while thanking AngloGold Ashanti for the socio-economic development to the local community, appealed the Mine to do more towards upgrading Obuasi into a modern community befitting its accolade as a mining area.
“When you go to Jourhanesberg, they’ve done a lot of things for South Africa. So we’re expecting more from them. We’ve so many communities in Obuasi like Ntosua, Komfuoakurase and other areas. We’re begging them to do more for them. And by doing this, it cuts the youth doing drugs, and going in for different things that won’t help the youth”, Madam Appiah-Kanin appealed.
The Municipal Chief Executive appealed also to the traditional authorities in the area to readily release land to government for more development projects to better the lot of the people.
She mentioned a Nursing and Midwifery Training College and a recreational center as some of her planned projects the Assembly would need litigation-free land to undertake.
