The Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) on Friday commended the government for initiating moves to resuscitate the Komenda Sugar Factory in the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abirem Municipality of the Central Region.

“It is indisputable that there is the need for that giant step towards reviving the sugar factory, which has the potential of offering over 3000 jobs for Ghanaians and also provide some raw materials for the local industry.

“It is about time African leaders learn to maintain and improve what they have to create sustainable developments for their people,” GCCI stated in a press statement signed by its President Dr Seth Adjei Baah and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra.

According to the GCCI, "the attitude where we leave viable national business ventures to rot should be a thing of the past if we are to witness any meaningful and progressive development as a nation”.

The GCCI tasked the government to put in place competent and qualified persons with the right technical and managerial skills to manage the project.

“It is also interesting to note that the Komenda project will contribute about three Megawatts of electricity to the nation’s power grid.

“Indeed, a project that has the capability of providing its own power for its activities and even adds to the national grid is worthwhile and calls for immense support from both government and the private sector,” the GCCI stated.

The GCCI noted that the private sector must be keenly involved in the operations of the factory in diverse ways.

The statement said: “GCCI believes this laudable initiative would help the country to cut down on the huge sugar import cost and save the nation over $300 million, which will go a long way to strengthen the local currency”.

The GCCI however urged government to move a step further to revitalise all other state ventures that are either dead or on the brink of collapsing.

“We endorse President John Dramani Mahama’s call for the use of local products and hope we would all embrace it and make it work. Those who would be employed should realise that the factory is for all Ghanaians and not the government,” the statement said.

The GCCI pledged that its teeming members will do everything in its capability to assist in making the project a success.