Battor citizens inquest into Aveyime Rice

A GROUP, calling itself the Concern Citizens Association of the former Quality Grain Project, have called on the government to select the Integrated Rice Company Limited to take over the management of the Aveyime Rice Project at Bator in the Volta Region.

According to the spokesperson for the group, Mr B B Copper, the citizens have decided to support the bid of Integrated Rice Company because of past misfortunes the community has had to go through as a result of past governments decisions in entrusting the rice company in the hands of foreign firms.

To avoid history repeating itself, this time round we'll no more sit on the fence and watch events but get involved by gathering facts, studying them and supporting everything which will allow the project to grow, he said.

Speaking at a durbar organised by the group in Battor on Wednesday, Mr Copper said the rice project is the economic backbone of Aveyime and its surrounding communities, appealing to government to reach the best decision in selecting one of the two companies shortlisted for the project.

In his opinion, history must also be considered in the process, disclosing that the first attempt at rice production on commercial basis in the area was made during the first Republic by the Nippon Koi Aveyime Rice Project with Japanese cooperation, but collapsed after the overthrow of Dr Nkrumah's government.

Mr Copper added that attempts by subsequent governments had failed to remedy the situation until the Quality Grain Project emerged on the scene.

"This raised our hopes that at last there was a breakthrough when suddenly malfeasance and mismanagement crippled this project too", he echoed.

The Assemblyman for the Battor electoral area, Mr Edward-Dzoboku, in an interview with GYE NYAME CONCORD expressed hope that the Integrated Rice Company bid would be considered since it is only locally based company among the two bidders.

When this reporter caught up with the Chief Executive Officer of the Integrated Rice Company Limited, Dr Amanarh Kisseih, on his take on the event, he expressed management's gratitude to the community for supporting the company's bid.

According to him, though he is a medical doctor by training he has over the years demonstrated that he is also a good entrepreneur.

He supported his claim by citing the success story of his construction company, Kiss Berg Constructions Limited, based in the US, which he said, won the best small business award in Atlanta, Georgia, last year.

He explained that though he is not an expert in rice production, he has put together a competent team of experts whose track record is known worldwide.

Some of the experts, he mentioned are; Dr Padro Repareo, who operates his rice production company in South America and US, and a local rice expert, Dr. Oteng, who is also a reknown rice producer.

According to him, if the company's bid is accepted, it would factor the interest of the community in all decisions it takes, especially in employment and environmental practices.

He pledged that the company would support out growers in the community through provision of farming services to enable them increase their yield.

The US$22 million rice cultivation project by the Quality Grain Company remains untapped six years after the NPP administration investigated the state-sponsored investment of the project and promised to restore it to productivity.

However, the assurances from the Kufuor administration that the large tracts of land and equipment would be put to use are yet to materialize.

The Quality Grain Project took off some 10 years ago to execute large scale rice farming and milling and was to bring jobs and income to inhabitants in the over 25 communities living on the fringes of the Lower Volta River.

Meanwhile, Cabinet has referred proposals and recommendations of the firms that evaluated the Aveyime Rice Project to its Sub-Committee for study and advice.