President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Sunday commissioned a GH¢6.7 million Rice Processing Factory at Akontombra as part of his tour of the Western North Region.

The factory, under the One-District One-Factory initiative, has the capacity to produce between 1.5 and 2.8 tonnes of rice per hour.

It has an electricity generation plant, mechanised borehole, as well as a fully furnished office, conference room, laboratory and kitchen.

It would operate under the Common User Facility (CUF), which is an agro industry factory established by the Rural Enterprises Programme under the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

President Akufo-Addo said the Factory would directly employ about 118 people, including management, professionals and factory floor workers.

More than 600 farmers from the area would be directly engaged to supply paddy rice for processing.

The President said with support and funding from the African Development Bank, the Rural Enterprises had been able to establish five CUFs throughout the country.

The other rice processing factories under the facility are in Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region and Dormaa West District of the Bono Region.

Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region is benefiting from an Oil Palm milling factory, while
Sekyere Central District of the Ashanti Region is benefiting from a maize processing facility.

The Akontombra Rice Factory would be managed by top-notch professionals and technicians who would be recruited competitively by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, President Akufo-Addo said.

Nana Kofi Ebui, the Chief of Akontombra and Benkumhene of Wiawso Traditional Area, commended the President for the One-District One-Factory initiative to reduce unemployment.

The President earlier announced the retention of Mr Yawson Amoah as the District Chief Executive for Akontombra.

That is the first in the series of DCE appointments, the President said.

Among the government officials who accompanied the president were Michael Okyere Baafi, a deputy Minister of Trade and Industry and also Kwasi Atta Antwi, National Coordinator of the Rural Enterprises Programme.