The managing director of Wilmar Africa Limited, Kwame Wiafe has asked the government to pay much attention to the production of crude palm oil and local rice since it has the avenue to create jobs for many across the country.

According to him, most African countries still import crude palm oil and rice from foreign countries meanwhile Ghana has the resources to provide raw materials that will cause a decline in the importation of these products.

In an interview on Citi TV, Mr Wiafe bemoaned on how Ghanaians focus only on the proceeds of exporting cocoa beans and gold but not necessarily other avenues that will equally provide jobs and revenue to improve the standard of living of the youth.

Talking about crude oil production, Mr Wiafe disclosed that Wilmar Africa Limited, producers of Frytol Vegetable Oil and Fortune Rice, currently has the capacity to refine oil and palm products in Ghana.

“In Ghana I think it’s a cliché that we produce lots of cocoa than we take it to other countries to add value then we bring it back for higher cost of imports. Fortunately, Wilmar Ghana we have the capacity to refine oil and palm currently. We are able to only source about 30 per cent of plant needs in Ghana and we provide offtake opportunity to anyone involved oil palm - all you need to do is to mill it then we buy,” he said.

“Because of inadequate capacity in Ghana we have to import crude palm oil from Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia to keep our plant running. There is a big opportunity if the country wants to discuss this and that will create jobs,” he added.

According to Mr Wiafe, there are some investors who have given out their plantations to Wilmar Africa Limited in the bid to make profit on shares.

“We have encourage people to put crude oil palm… to put our expertise to place, if you go to the Ghana Armed Forces in Takoradi, we have helped them to cultivate some plantation. Some have given their lands out and we are developing them to give them their desired shares,” the managing director of Wilmar Africa said.