Revive Pwalugu Tomato Factory to curb foreign imports – ICU urges government

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has appealed to government to as a matter of urgency revive the Pwalugu Tomato Factory to create jobs for the youth in the Upper East Region and the country at large.

At a Regional Conference by ICU in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, General Secretary of ICU, Morgan Ayawine, explained that reviving the factory will also cut down on the importation of tomatoes into the country.

Available figures from the Ministry of Trade and Industry show that government spends over 400 million dollars to import tomatoes from neighbouring countries such as Burkina Faso.

“So many businesses and industries have been left to go fallow. This is a serious concern for the Union as it is exacerbating the already precarious unemployment situation in the country, a typical example is the Pwalugu Tomato factory in the Upper East Region which has been abandoned over the years, whilst the indigens of the region remain unemployed.”

“For the factory to realize it’s economic potential and fulfill the purpose for which it was established, we wish to use this forum to appeal to the government to seriously consider reactivating the Pwalugu Tomato Factory to create employment for the unemployed youth and also save the nation the huge foreign exchange used to import tomatoes into the country” he noted.

Mr Ayawine pleaded with government to construct a dam that will provide water for the factory.

“The initiative by government to construct the dam at Pwalugu in addition to existing dams in the Upper East Region will greatly aid and improve agricultural venture among other economic activities in the region.”

“In this regard, we passionately appeal to government to seriously consider the construction of a dam at Pwalugu as its economic benefits will be enormous” he points out.

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