Volta Star cries for help, minister makes promises

Volta MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has promised to help bring back the struggling Volta Star textiles company back to its former glory.

The majority of textiles available in Ghana are imported as local companies struggle with high production costs and the crippling effects of poor and water and electricity supply.

The newly elected Member for Parliament for the North Tongu Electoral Constituency of the Volta Region, who was touring companies operating in the area, said the company used to employ 2000 people but can now only afford 700.

The MP and his staff were touring the area to give him the chance to interact with both staff and leadership of the various companies and to familiarise himself with their operations to help assess their progress and challenges.

Their first point of call was the Volta Star Company at Juapong where they were conducted round the company by the Acting Technical Director Mr. Agyagbo Elvis. Mr. Agyagbo who commended the MP for taking time off his busy schedules to interact with them also describes the visit as a sign of good things to come for his company and the entire Constituency.

Giving brief history of the textiles company, he said the Volta Star Company which was established several decades ago as Juapong Textiles Company, was closed down in 2005 due to lack of funds to operate.

The then sitting Government managed however to revamp it under a new name called the Volta Star which worked steadily under limited funds before it was commissioned in 2007.

Even though they have managed to survive with the EDIF Grant of GHC3 million granted them since 2008, he admitted that their main challenge has been working capital.

The Acting Technical Director welcomes any assistance from Government and the private sector to help put them on a very sound footing of operations as they are now not operating in a full capacity. In his response, hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa , said the purpose of the visit was to encourage greater interest between the industrial potential that abounds in the constituency.

He added that his focus now is to create the needed attention for the necessary commitment from both the executive arm of Government and the private sectors. Job creation will also be my focus as this company has a large potential and yet still the people are jobless and poor.

"Why must we be living near food and still be hungry and near a big stream and still be thirsty?" he questioned.

The visit also took the Parliamentarian and his entourage which includes party executives and the media to the Juapong Milk Factory, Vegpro Company Limited, Aveyime Rice Company as well as the Aveyime Cattle Ranch.