The Vice president John Mahama has commissioned a sheanut processing factory in Buipe in the Northern Region, Tuesday. The factory is the first of three factories to be set up in the Northern Region and it's expected to provide jobs to thousands of workers. Addressing a gathering of workers and traditional leaders in Buipe, the Vice president said the commissioning of the project is a testament of President John Mills’ commitment to improve the lives of all in the country. “This facility will change the lives of the people of Buipe. They are not just building a factory, they are building a community. There is going to be accommodation for staff. There is going to be a club house. They are going to do a hospitality facility, there is going to be a guest house…” John Mahama said. “…Buipe has the potential to become the industrial hub of the Northern Region just as we have Tema in Accra,” he added. Joy News’ Seth Kwame Boateng who was present at the commissioning reported the vice president as saying the commissioning is a fulfillment of the manifesto promise the NDC made to the people of Buipe. The factory has a lifespan of 30 years with an optimum capacity of 40,000 tons with an annual capacity of 12,000 tons to fetch an income of about $30 million. The factory, Boateng stated has ready markets for its produce in Brazil.