ICU urges government to revive Pwalugu Tomato Factory - Ghana Business News

**Morgan Ayawine – General Secretary of ICU-Ghana**

The Industrial and Commercial Workers Union (ICU) has urged the government to revive the Pwalugu Tomato Factory. This factory is located in the Upper East Region. The ICU believes it can help reduce tomato imports and create jobs for local youth.

Mr. Morgan Ayawine, the General Secretary of ICU, spoke at a conference in Bolgatanga. He emphasized the need to revamp the factory to boost the local economy. The Pwalugu Tomato Factory was established by Ghana’s first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

Its purpose was to process tomatoes into puree and paste for local markets and export. When operational, it processed tomatoes from Northern Ghana and parts of Burkina Faso. It reduced imports of processed tomato paste and provided many jobs.

The factory also supported vegetable farming during dry seasons. This increased farmers' incomes and contributed to food security in Northern Ghana. Unfortunately, the factory has been inactive for years despite promises from successive governments.

Mr. Ayawine noted that rising unemployment drives youth migration from Ghana. He stressed the need for sustainable industries to create job opportunities for young people. He appealed to the government to reactivate the Pwalugu Tomato Factory.

This would help employ unemployed youth and save foreign exchange spent on tomato imports. To support this effort, he also called for prioritizing construction of the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam. This dam would provide irrigation services for year-round farming activities.

The dam includes components like land for irrigation, hydro power production, flood control, and aquaculture development. Additionally, Mr. Ayawine requested a reduction in corporate tax rates on rural banks. He stated that the current 25 percent tax burdens their operations significantly.

Source: GNA