Inchaban (W/R), May 17, GNA - Mr Ishmael Yamson, Board Chairman of theBenso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP), said on Tuesday that Ghana does not needto import palm oil to meet its domestic needs. He said the country couldmeet its internal needs of the commodity if special attention is paid tothe President's Special Initiative (PSI) on oil palm.

Mr Yamson said this in response to an answer at the first annual generalmeeting of BOPP at Inchaban near Sekondi on Tuesday. He said the PSI isnot to compete with the Ghana Oil Palm Plantation (GOPP), Twifo Oil PalmPlantation (TOPP) and BOPP or existing companies and assured shareholdersthat the country rather needs more of such innovations to meet theincreasing demand for oil palm.

"The country can save a lot of foreign currency if the PSI on oil palm incollaboration with GOPP, TOPP and BOPP increase its production" he said.

Mr Yamson said the PSI is good for the various plantations, the domesticmarket and other oil palm users and urged individuals engaged in the PSIon oil palm to take the project more seriously. He said the listing ofBOPP on the Ghana Stock Exchange was a strategic step aimed at leading theway in restructuring the country's economy. 17 May 05Source: GNA