15/07/2008 (Accra Daily Mail) - Mr Akenten Appiah-Menkah, Managing Director of Appiah-Menkah Apino Soap in Kumasi, has called for the establishment of a Palm Oil Development Board to handle issues on the industry.

He said the oil palm industry plays a unique role in the socio-economic development of the country and that everything possible must be done by the government to ensure its sustenance at all levels to reduce poverty in the country.

Mr Appiah-Menkah was addressing a 20 member Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, when visited the factory in Kumasi as part of their study tour of some Palm oil industries in the Ashanti Region, to acquaint themselves with some of the challenges facing the industry and how best to address them.

He said he was very happy with their visit to his factory and hoped that it would help them to know more of the problems facing the industry and how best to address them.

The Committee led by Mr Joseph Boakye Danquah Adu, Member of Parliament (MP) for Abuakwa North Constituency in the Eastern Region also visited the Juaben Oil Mill at Juaben.

They were taken round the oil mill by Nana Otuo Sereboe II, Managing Director of the Mill and Paramount Chief of Juaben Traditional Area.

They inspected the GH¢450 million, newly installed oil palm refinery and fractionation plant and a shea butter plant of the mill. The Managing Director told them that the mill produces 30 refined drums of shea butter daily, which is exported to Holland and another 50 tons of crude palm oil daily for local consumption.

He however indicated that the company was unable to export due to heavy export costs.

He said the mill has 450 workers and that the waiver of the import duty by the government would help to promote the industry especially in the lean season. Mr Adu on behalf of the Committee expressed their satisfaction with the role the two companies were playing to revamp the nation’s economy.

He said the government was also committed to ensuring the proper development of the private sector and that was the reason why the waiver of the import duties, to support domestic business development.