A modern food complex consisting of an abattoir, foodstuff warehouses, a foodstuff and livestock market and cold storage facilities is under construction in Accra. The complex contains three huge cold warehouses for meat storage and one for perishable foodstuffs. It can store meat of more than 100 cows, sheep and goats and has facilities for the slaughter of about 150 livestock per day. The livestock market can contain 200 cows and 300 goats and sheep. The complex also has offices for veterinary officers and has been fitted with state-of the-art machines for slaughtering of animals and preparation of their meat for consumption under strict hygienic conditions. It is expected to provide an initial employment of about 200. The owner of the complex, Mr Ohene Agyekum, said so far $3 million had been spent on the project, adding that about $5 million would have been spent by the time of completion. He said he had worked in the abattoir industry in the developed world for many years hence his interest in that area. He said it had always been his desire to invest heavily in the country to provide jobs for the teeming unemployed youth and assist in cutting down the rate of unemployment in the country. Mr Agyekum said the complex was of the highest standard and could be compared to any in Europe and America, adding that a quality assurance person would be employed from Europe to work at the complex. A Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Yaw Effah-Baafi, said that the project was consistent with the policy and vision of the ministry. He said the ministry had in the past held discussions with the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, on how to establish a complex along the same lines in the country but the move had failed as the needed capital could not be raised. He said the ministry would assist Mr Agyekum to access the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) of the Ministry of Trade and Industry to complete and expand the business.