The Chief and residents of Aboso in the Prestea Huni Valley municipality have resisted attempts to dismantle and sell the historic Aboso Glass Factory to Linkin Birds Company as scraps.
Meanwhile Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited Maxwell Kofi Jumah, claims that the current developments are actually in response to requests from new investors.
Established in 1966 by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, the Aboso Glass Factory was a leading manufacturer and supplier of bottles for the beverage industry. Located in Aboso, near Tarkwa in the Western Region, the factory employed around 500 workers and produced 18 million bottles, 2 million units of tableware and 8-10 million square feet of sheet glass and louvre glass annually.
However, financial constraints led to its collapse and renaming as Tropical Glass Factory under Mr. Gilchrist Olympio’s management. In 2003, the factory was listed for divestiture after the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) ceased power supply.
In 2017, the government announced plans to restore the factory with investor support.
Furthermore, in 2019, GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited took over the factory, aiming to Rehabilitate and restart production, reduce reliance on imported glass and bottles and supply local production to GIHOC’s liquor brands (Castle Bridge, Kaiser, and Schnapps).
However, Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited Maxwell Kofi Jumah, signed a letter on September 27, 2024 granting Linkin Birds Company approval to access the glass factory.
“In fulfillment of the agreement entered into on July 2024, your institution has abided by the terms of the contract. This notice is giving your institution the approval to access the Aboso glass factory for general cleanup, including discarded machines and other debris. Your institution can and without any encumbrances access the glass factory for the scraps,” parts of the letter read.
The news team, joined by local youth, conducted a site visit to investigate the activities at the company. We witnessed some metal pillars have been cut down and a group of individuals draining oil from a transformer into a barrel.
Abdullah Iddrisu revealed that this transformer was still operational when the company folded up.
“Initially, we assumed they were removing only obsolete metals no longer in use. However, our visit has exposed a disturbing reality. The functional transformer, which generated power here, has been drained of oil and is now slated for dismantling”.
“I can confidently attest that this transformer was operational before the company’s closure. All connected pipes that distributed oxygen have also been removed. This extensive dismantling exceeds our initial expectations and raises serious concerns,” he said.
A heated altercation nearly escalated into a physical fight between local youth and company workers when the youth demanded they halt the operations.
Kwasi Kabila, a Unit Committee Member, revealed that during a stakeholders’ meeting, the community conveyed a clear message to the company that if they don’t see new equipment, they won’t allow them to remove the scrap materials.
“We’re deeply disappointed with the developments here. During our previous community engagement, they presented plans to renovate the factory. However, today’s visit reveals a stark contrast – scrap dealers are dismantling the facility instead. Our investigation shows they’ve sold assets exceeding 8 million cedis, with half the payment already made.”
“We had explicitly stated during the earlier engagement that if we didn’t see new equipment installed, we wouldn’t permit the removal of the old machinery. Unfortunately, our conditions have been disregarded,” they lamented.
During the site visit, another discovery made was the removal of electrical cables connected to the machinery.
“If you claim to be here to work, yet you’re removing the cables, what exactly do you plan to work with?” he asked.
After witnessing the site issues, the youth reported back to Chief Nana Kwasi Appiah II. Later, around 6:35 pm, the Chief and youth returned to the site. In an interview, Chief Appiah II revealed that during stakeholder discussions, the community and Linkin Birds Company agreed on specific measures.
“Before their arrival, we convened a stakeholders’ meeting at the Aboso community center to discuss strategies for revamping the facility. However, upon realizing their intention to remove scrap materials, we established clear conditions if they wish to expand and dismantle machinery, nothing can leave the site until new equipment arrives”.
“We emphasized that the existing machines are not theirs to take and that any future needs would require renegotiation.” Nana noted.
The Chief explained the implementation strategy for the agreed measures in ensuring none of the materials leave the site.
“We’re implementing a robust security measure to safeguard the site. We’re organizing a team of reliable youth to monitor the site 24/7, and we’ll provide compensation for their services to ensure the site remains secure and no unauthorized removals occur.”
To have a broader understanding from what the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council has for the Aboso glass Factory the news team spoke with the Chief of Bogoso Nana Akwasi Somprey II. He stated that “The traditional stool is facing significant losses, prompting us to convene a meeting with ministers and Members of Parliament to address the issue”.
“We urge them to renovate the factory; otherwise, they will have to leave. Additionally, we appeal to Maxwell Kofi Jumah to reconsider his proposal to sell the factory as scrap, as this decision would only benefit individuals in the short term, without providing long-term solutions,” he urged.
In reaction to these concerns through a phone interview on November 8, the Managing Director of GIHOC Distilleries Company Limited, Maxwell Kofi Jumah, clarified that the current developments are in response to requests from new investors.
“We’ve been instructed by the contractor to clean the premises, and we’ve already held a community engagement meeting attended by local leaders, including the Chief, Assembly Member, Divisional Police Commander, and Municipal Chief executive”.
“However, some individuals are trying to politicize the issue, claiming that we haven’t consulted the Member of Parliament. I’m unsure why the MP’s involvement is necessary in this matter, especially since the contractor is a foreign company”.
“The contractor has given strict instructions that nothing should be removed from the site until the consulting architect has inspected everything to ensure that vital tools and machinery are not taken out. This is a straightforward process, and I’m eager to move forward without unnecessary delays”. Mr Jumah noted.
Mr. Jumah encouraged community members to express their concerns in writing, ensuring their voices are heard.
“If there are concerns, we encourage stakeholders to address them through formal channels, rather than politicizing the issue”.
“Investors typically prefer to avoid political entanglements. Therefore, if anyone has concerns, we kindly request that they submit them in writing to us, or through your office, to ensure a constructive and transparent resolution.” He stated.
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Source:
3news.com
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