Rice project takes off at Mepe-Adudornu; Expected to provide jobs for 500 locals
Almost six decades after the vibrant rice farm belonging to the then State Farms at Mepe-Adudornu in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region collapsed following the overthrow of the Nkrumah regime, a similar project has taken off in earnest in the community.
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A Ghanaian group, Royal City Company Limited, has acquired 2,000 hectares from the community to produce rice, with plans to expand the rice field to 10,000 hectares in five years.
The chiefs and elders of Mepe-Adudornu last Tuesday performed rites and said prayers to the gods of the land to signify the commencement of the project.
Project
The project involves a road construction from the heart of the community to the rice field, irrigation canals, farmhouse offices and structures for the machinery.
According to the Operations Manager, Ewura Ama Atta Gyamfi, an amount of US$1 million had already been invested in the project which was expected to recruit 500 young people from the community.
She said the company would carry out the project with some technocrats from Thailand.
Ms Gyamfi said the principal objective of the project was to produce rice in abundance, not only for local consumption but also for export.
“Ghana has the capacity to produce enough rice to greatly impact the foreign market and stop importing rice,” she maintained.
She estimated that the initial 2,000 hectares would yield a total of 20,000 tonnes of rice annually.
Support
The Divisional Chief of Mepe-Gbanvie-Adudornu, Togbe Kwao Agoglu Adabla IV, pledged the full support of the traditional authorities for the project, saying it was cause for joy and hope for the people.
He said the prevailing peace in the area was an asset for the progress and success of the project which would benefit generations yet unborn and open up the area to more lucrative economic activities.
The Volta Regional Director of Agriculture, William Dzamefe, entreated the local residents to maintain cordial ties with the company for the smooth progress of the project which had bright prospects.
Mepe-Adudornu is a serene farming community with a population of about 1,000.
Some residents said the rice project would definitely restore the prominent farming status the community enjoyed prior to the overthrow of the Nkrumah regime.
A planned tour of the project site was hampered by heavy rains which momentarily rendered the fields soggy.
Subsequently, some of the rites were performed at the edge of the site.