GOPDC wins local content award
Ghana Oil Palm Development Company Limited (GOPDC), producers of refined specialty oils for use by the food industry, won the best company in the Local content category at the just-ended Ghana Manufacturing Awards in Accra.
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The awards celebrate companies that have played defining roles in moving the local industry forward as well as demonstrated achievement across a wide variety of areas including sustainability and operational excellence.
The ceremony was put together by Xodus Communications.
The leading producers of refined specialty oils for use by food industry was adjudged best company ‘Local Content’ category at the ceremony which brought together stakeholders in the local manufacturing industry and endorsed by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
Citation
The citation accompanying the award paid tribute to GOPDC’s innovation in the local sector, particularly the processing facilities of the company which comprise fresh fruit bunch palm oil mill, a palm kernel oil mill, a refinery and fractionation plant, a palm kernel cake pellet plant and a jerrycan filling plant where the company's King's brand Olein Vegetable oil is packaged.
The company was also acknowledged for adding its quota to national development as it employs about 4,500 workers and produces over 35,000 tonnes of palm oil and palm kernel oil per annum as well as a storage capacity of about 21,000 tonnes at Kwae and Tema.
Excitement
Commenting on the award, the Chief Commercial Officer of the GOPDC, Mr Gangadhar Shetty, said he was excited about the award, since it recognised the works the company was doing.
He said innovation was the company’s hallmark as it generated its own energy at site, making it a self-sufficient company.
Mr Shetty also said the company paid particular attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) as it had for many years assisted in the building of schools, provided scholarship to students and village electrification especially around the community where it operates.
"GOPDC will continue to employ local content in its production with the use of local raw materials to promote the agric sector," he added.
Speaking in an interview with the media after receiving the award, the Managing Director, Mr Gert Vandersmissen, observed that the award “is an attestation that we can create wealth locally as GOPDC produces locally, process locally, produce electricity and water locally and employ the locals as well where we train them in growing rubber and palm and processing it into nutritional cooking oil like King’s Oil."
He stated that the company had a long term plan as it had ventured into rubber farming all in a bid to ensure the agriculture sector becomes viable for economic development.
Mr Vandersmissen dedicated the award to all its partners, workers and customers and urged them to continue to do business with the company.