The revamped Ayensu Starch Factory, which was characterized by a couple of shutdowns, has been re-commissioned by the government.

Under a public-private partnership, the revamped factory, located at Bawjiase in the Central Region has the capacity to produce 22,000 tonnes of grade starch for both domestic and external markets.

Government now holds 30 per cent shares in the factory which was established in 2003 and became operational in 2004 under the President’s Special Initiative by then Kufour Administration.

The factory has since been facing some challenges including the unavailability of cassava to feed the plant. The challenges caused a shutdown of the factory a couple of times, something that prompted government to seek private participation leading to its recent revamp.

TV3’s Selorm Amenya reported that there was joy and jubilation among the people in the area when government officials recommissioned the factory Friday morning.”There is jubilation all over the place,” he reported

The revamp factory has a staff strength of 60 with over 100 farmers engaged to supply raw materials to feed the factory.

Our correspondent said production “is going to start on a gradual pace that is why they have just 60 staff now but then they will be engaging more farmers so that when they have the raw materials, then they will increase the staff strength. That’s the strategy they want to use now.”

Management of the factory says it is committed to ensuring the factory serves its purpose in order to better the lives of the farmers.

“They [farmers] are really excited but their only concern is that and produce their products as there were reports that cassava were being bought from other parts of the country to feed the factory.

By Stephen Kwabena Effah|3news.com