Paramount chief of the Komenda Traditional Area, Okatakyie Komeh VIII, has dared the Indian investors whom the Komenda Sugar Factory has been leased, to step foot on his land to operationalise the plant.
The chief says the Trade and Industry Minister, Kobina Tahir (K.T.) Hammond, disrespected the traditional authority and custodian of the land on which the plant is situated when he visited the facility with the foreign-based private investors.
The Trade and Industry Minister recently announced the government’s plans to lease the factory to West African Agro Limited, an Indian-based firm, for a renewable term of 15 to 20 years.
He made the revelation during a recent visit to the factory in the Komenda municipality, revealing that the lease aims to revitalize the factory’s struggling operations.
Although the government has approved the lease agreement, final details are still pending.
But the chief, who says his outfit was not recognised by the Minister upon his visit to the site, has said K.T. Hammond has disrespected the authority of the paramountcy.
Nana Komeh VIII was speaking with Captain Smart on Onua TV’s morning show, Maakye, Wednesday, August 14, 2024, when he made the comments.
“K.T. Hammond came to the Sugar Factory about two weeks ago with the white men and he refused to visit the chief and custodian of the land on which the factory is situated. They have sold the factory and we know nothing about it. Meanwhile, we gave out the land to the government.
“Are they telling us that the community has no leaders? How do you sell off the factory without respecting we the chiefs,” he questioned.
The chief continued that “the investor should not come to Komenda. I know nothing about any plans on the factory. There is nothing about this factory that I know of. Ask K.T. Hammond if he knows me.”
“Can K.T. Hammond do this to his chief? If the investor can come to Komenda to work in the factory, that’s up to me,” he concluded.
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