The parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Zebilla Ebenezer Alumire Ndebilla has promised to facilitate the construction of a tomato processing factory in the area if elected Member of Parliament in the December polls.
Speaking in an interview on Breakfast Today, Ndebilla said although farmers in the area engage in all year round cultivation of tomatoes, there is no ready market for the produce.
He believes the establishment of a processing factory will not just make available market for the produce but create employment opportunities for many in the constituency.
On how he intends to fund such a capital intensive project, Ndebilla said he will collaborate with the private sector for its construction.
“One of the critical areas or opportunity in Zebilla is developing the tomato value chain. Last year, there a lot of tomatoes on the farm and nobody was there to buy them.
So one of the key things I will want to do to work to ensure that it is done is collaborate with the private sector as a Member of Parliament to ensure that we establish a tomato processing factory in Zebilla. It’s a plan because this is an area that create a lot of jobs for the people,” he stated.
He added that the planned factory will leverage incentives that will be rolled out as part of the 24-hour economy his party and its flagbearer John Dramani Mahama have pledged to implement to maximize its operations.
Ebenezer Ndebilla is seeking to retain the Zebilla seat for the NDC after succeeding the incumbent MP Cletus Avoka as the party’s candidate.
He explained that his decision to bid to represent the people of the area in Parliament is to bring his experience to bear in the development of the constituency.
He said despite the fact that the constituency appears to be a safe seat for his party, he will not be complacent but relentless in propagating his and the NDC’s message to increase their fortunes in the December polls.
