{
  "id": 12948623,
  "title": "Upper East Minister leads Chinese investors to assess abandoned Pwalugu Tomato Factory",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/upper-east-minister-leads-chinese-investors-to-assess-abandoned",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-08T20:39:33.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "3News",
    "slug": "3news",
    "url": "https://3news.com/news/upper-east-minister-leads-chinese-investors-to-assess-abandoned-pwalugu-tomato-factory"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga has led a delegation from Chinese firm Hanway International Investment Ltd to inspect the decommissioned Pwalugu Tomato Factory in an effort to lure investment for its revival. The visit, headed by the firm's CEO Cui Yongzhi, aimed to evaluate the factory's potential and explore partnership opportunities to restore operations after years of inactivity. The Northern Star Tomato Factory, which ceased operations in 2012, has been left vulnerable to theft and deteriorated. With a capacity to process 500 metric tons of tomatoes into paste and support approximately 600 direct jobs and 2,500 indirect ones, the factory's abandoned condition, marked by overgrown vegetation and damaged structures, raised concerns. Despite these challenges, the factory's processing machines are in good shape and could be restored with minimal repairs. Regional Minister Akamugri highlighted that many investors have shown interest in reviving the factory, particularly with the installation of a solar plant to support industrialization. Discussions with the investors focused on necessary steps to restore the production chain, including establishing a canning facility at Pwalugu. Under the current system, tomato paste was transported to Tema for canning, but reviving the factory at Pwalugu would eliminate the need for this transportation step. The Minister proposed expanding the range of agricultural products processed at the facility, including onions, pepper, garden eggs, and beans. He emphasized the government's interest in improving agricultural productivity at both the farm and factory levels. The proximity of Pwalugu to neighboring countries, such as Burkina Faso, Togo, and Mali, was also discussed as a potential market advantage for any revived factory. The Minister suggested that the government could serve as a key consumer by supplying processed tomato products to schools and hospitals through government programs, creating an import substitution opportunity. Tax incentives and waivers for necessary equipment were also mentioned as potential incentives for investors to bring machinery to the project.",
  "summary": "The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, has led a delegation from Chinese investment firm Hanway International Investment Ltd. to the abandoned Pwalugu Tomato Factory as part of efforts to attract investment for the revival of the facility.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}