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President Kufuor opens re-activated Juapong Textiles
Factory
Juapong (V/R), May 11, GNA - The Government's efforts at
re-activating the country's distressed but viable industries
to create jobs took a giant step forward on Friday with the
re-opening of the Juapong Textiles Limited in the North
Tongu District of the
Volta Region by President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Now named Volta Star Limited, the refurbished factory is
being operated as a joint partnership
between the Government and U-Rich Limited, a Chinese
textiles and garments giant.
Currently, it is employing 185 people including five
management staff from China and at full capacity, the
personnel would number 800.
The Chiefs and people in the area defied a heavy downpour to
witness the inauguration.
President Kufuor said the revival of the factory under the
Government's District Industrialisation Programme was based
on the company's strategic importance in terms of the
utilisation of locally grown cotton and the extent to which
it could accelerate the economic development of the district
and the adjoining ones and help to resuscitate the nation's
textile industry.
He said the partnership with the reputable Chinese Company
was significant, because of the extreme competition in the
international textile market in which, China is the
undoubted leader.
"This partnership is founded on the concept of win-win. Our
partner comes with technical know-how and how to access the
market, which should sustain the competitiveness of our
factory."
President Kufuor said as opportunities for work returned to
the area, it was important for the entire workforce to learn
to cultivate the best work ethic that was crucial to the
continued survival and success of the company.
The mindset must be that each individual's fortunes are tied
up with that of the factory.
He stated that the Government would closely monitor the
operations of the company to make sure that the investment
put into its re-opening yielded the desired result.
Mr Allan Kyeremateng, Minister of Trade, Industry and PSIs,
said the re-activation was significant as it would send a
strong signal about the Government's commitment to revive
collapsed industries that have the potential to give jobs to
the people.
He said the restoration re-establishes the fundamental
premise underpinning the Government's development agenda,
which was to stabilise the economy to create the platform
for job openings.
The Juapong Textiles Limited was established as a
public-private partnership in 1968 to produce greybaft, but
folded up about a year and a half ago, following the filing
for liquidation by the Dutch giant Briscoe, that was
operating it.
GNA
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