Chiefs and residents of the Komenda Traditional Area have formally petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to intervene in the prolonged dormancy of the Komenda Sugar Factory and place the facility directly under the Office of the President as a Special Presidential Initiative.

In a letter dated February 24, 2026, signed by the Paramount Chief, Okatakyi Kojo Komeh VIII, the traditional authority described the factory as a critical national asset that has remained largely non-operational despite years of investment and public expectation.

According to the petition, the factory represents more than an industrial project, serving as a key source of livelihood for thousands of sugarcane farmers, unemployed youth, traders, transporters and families whose incomes depend on its full operation. However, the chiefs say sustainable production has yet to be achieved under the supervision of the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry.

The letter noted that successive communications about operationalising the factory have yielded limited results, while attempts to secure private investors and transactions have not produced meaningful progress. This situation, they said, has created frustration and eroded confidence among farmers and young people in the area.

The traditional leaders pointed to other state-owned enterprises that have been successfully revived, arguing that similar decisive leadership could restore the Komenda Sugar Factory to full capacity. They expressed concern that continued delays and repeated changes within the ministry have stalled the factory’s revival.

As part of their demands, the chiefs are requesting that the factory be removed from its current ministerial oversight and placed directly under presidential supervision. They believe this move would:

- signal strong political will and national priority,

- ensure direct oversight and measurable accountability,

- accelerate coordinated support across key sectors, and

- restore investor and farmer confidence.

They added that effective revitalisation of the factory could transform Komenda and serve as a symbol of renewed industrial success under the President’s leadership.

The petition was copied to the Vice President, the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, the Central Regional Minister, the Member of Parliament for the area, and the Municipal Chief Executive.

The chiefs concluded by urging swift and decisive intervention to finally restore the long-anticipated operations of the Komenda Sugar Factory.