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President John Dramani Mahama, yesterday broke the ground for the reconstruction of the sugar factory at Komenda in the Central Region. The $36.5 million factory would have the capacity to crush 1,250 tonnes of sugarcane a day to produce 125 tonnes of sulphur-less white sugar. It will also include a plant for the production of 50 tonnes of molasses for alcohol production. The completion of the project will make Ghana a net exporter of sugar and provide direct employment to about 400 people. It is also expected to benefit more than 2,000 out grower farmers. The Indian Government is supporting the project with $35 million, while the government of Ghana has made a counterpart funding of $1.5 million through the Export Development and Agriculture Fund (EDAIF). The factory established by Ghana's first president Dr Kwame Nkrumah folded up in the 1980s due to mismanagement and operational challenges. Imports unacceptable Speaking at the function, the President said the importation of sugar was expected to reduce by $170 million a year, and pointed out that the country�s importation of more than $300 million worth of sugar per annum was unacceptable. Mr Mahama also said the government had initiated efforts to ensure that the economy was transformed into a self-reliant one, adding that the factory was just one component of a major sugarcane development and irrigation project. He also hinted that the Indian Government had also approved a $24 million fund for the cultivation of sugarcane. President Mahama noted that like sugar, large quantities of rice, milk, poultry, soap and capital-intensive machinery are imported. He said the government was working to roll out strategic support packages to local pharmaceutical industries, rice producers and the poultry industry to boost local production, generate jobs and improve the economy. He commended the chiefs and people of the area for donating 1,700 hectares for the project and assured them that the value of the land would be held as equity for the community in the project. Ebola The President also used the platform to condemn the irresponsible use of social media platforms by some unscrupulous people to spread rumours about the outbreak of Ebola in the country. He said the Ebola virus was a serious issue and threat to national security and development, adding that the government would therefore not hide the existence of that disease in Ghana. �You cannot hide Ebola. It is a plague, but God will protect the people of Ghana from this,� he stated. Mr Mahama called on traditional and religious leaders, as well as opinion leaders to wage a relentless war against the misuse of social media to peddle untruths in the country. He said the government would protect its citizens from the disease, adding that in recognition of that, a committee of health experts had been constituted to prepare for any outbreak. The acting Indian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Ajanish Quonir, said the project would further strengthen the economic and trade bonds between Ghana and India. The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Haruna Iddrisu, also said the government would improve irrigation systems in many communities across the country to promote all-year-round farming. The Paramount Chief of the Komenda Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Kru, thanked the president and government for keeping faith with the people of the area, while the Central Regional Minister, Mr Aquainas Quansah, said the project would develop the whole region and better the lives of the people. He added that the region would take advantage of other investment opportunities in citrus and ceramics.