Nalerigu: President John Dramani Mahama has announced the Government's decision to establish an ultra-modern rice mill at Jadema in the Mamprugu Moaduri District of the North East Region. The initiative aims to process over 30,000 metric tons of locally grown rice annually while creating more than 2,000 jobs, primarily for women and youth.
According to Ghana News Agency, the project will be implemented by the Government of Ghana with support from the World Food Programme. The rice mill is expected to significantly reduce post-harvest losses and establish a local rice value chain that will decrease Ghana's dependence on rice imports. President Mahama emphasized that the National Buffer Stock Company would procure all the rice produced at the facility to supply secondary schools across the country.
The announcement was made during President Mahama's address to the chiefs and people of the North East Region at Nalerigu, as part of his Thank You Tour. The tour is a gesture of appreciation to Ghanaians for their support during the December 7, 2024, general election, which saw the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) secure victory.
Prior to the public address, President Mahama held a closed-door meeting with the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sherigah II, at his palace in Nalerigu. During the meeting and subsequent durbar, the President emphasized the importance of transitioning from subsistence farming to commercial production and agro-industrial transformation to drive development in the region.
Additionally, President Mahama instructed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Exim Bank to expedite the completion of the Walewale Watermelon Factory, aiming for its prompt commissioning.
