Industrial giant Unilever Ghana Limited has brought onstream a modern Lipton tea plant in Tema, the first of its kind in Ghana, at a cost of GHS7.5million.

Mr. Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of State at the presidency in charge of Public and Private Sector Development, inaugurated the plant on behalf of President John Mahama.

Mr. Pelpuo commended the management of Unilever for the continued confidence it has in the economy and that despite global and local harsh economic downturn, Unilever Ghana has remained resilient and was able to record a turnover of GHS282 million - representing a growth of 18% in 2012.

He said this significant achievement so far has been made possible as a result of the company’s prudent management practices.

Mr. David Mureithi, Managing Director of Unilever West Africa, said the company has since last year invested GHS20million in the soap and margarine production lines, including the Lipton plant, to enhance output and sustained operations.

He said Lipton is now the world’s leading tea brand and is sold in more than 150 countries. Ghana, he said, has been chosen as a regional hub for business due to its unique position as a stable destination for investors.

Unilever will however be exporting Lipton to other West African countries like Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. Mr. Mureithi said siting the factory in Ghana is indirectly employing thousands of workers in both the production and distribution chain.

Currently the consumption rate for Lipton tea in Ghana is 600 tonnes a year, with the production output of the plant expected to be 1,000 tonnes. Lipton is sourced from Kenya in East Africa.