Production of local gin, popularly called ‘’Akpeteshi” at Mameng-Jato, a community near Suhum noted for the production of high quality gin, has collapsed due to the high cost of materials.

As a result, almost half of the male population at the community engaged in the distillation of the gin had left the town to seek greener pastures in the urban areas leaving their wives and children behind.

The Chief of Mameng-Jato, Baffour Agjewi Narh III, made this known to the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Jato at the weekend. He said when the community was producing the gin, people traveled from Tema, Kumasi, Accra, Techiman, Ho and Koforidua to buy the drink.

He said as a result of the collapse of the business, most of the distillers owe the banks and some of them had to sell their properties to pay back, while others are facing prosecution in court.

Baffour Agjewi Narh therefore appealed to the government to put in place policies to stabilise the economy and help reduce the cost of materials to enable the akpeteshie distillers to go back to their business.