A delegation from the Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development assessed progress on the Sithe Global Sustainable Oils Cameroon recently.

The Ministry of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development (MINEPAT), through the Director General of Planning and Regional Development, Oum Eloma Janvier, was in Sithe Global Sustainable Oils Cameroon, Ltd SG SOC, last week for a three-day working visit   to the South West Region.

The objectives revolved on what is going on in the field concerning SG SOC activities and difficulties encountered. While hailing what the new management of SG SOC is doing in the field in terms of job creation, employment of youths and increasing productivity, the Director General reiterated Government's appreciation with initiative of the management of SG SOC to improve on the living conditions of the people of the communities concerned. Upon their arrival, the new Director of SG SOC, Chief Dr. Blessed Okole, took the Director General and his entourage to their plantations and nurseries in Nguti, Talangaye, Fabe and Lapanja1 where they have over 500,000 seedlings in pre-nurseries and 90,798 were transplanted between April and May, 2015.

The Director General also visited and encouraged some small holders’ palm plantations in Ediango and Nguti. Farmers explained that they have received aid from SG SOC through farm inputs. They have been advised and encouraged to create cooperatives and two have already been created namely Golden Palms Cooperative Society Ltd and Standard Palms Cooperative Society Ltd.

The Sithe Global Sustainable Oils Cameroon Ltd was established in September 2009, with mission to address the complex issues of global food security through the development of a sustainable and commercially viable agricultural initiative in Cameroon. It establishes a sustainable and commercially viable agricultural enterprise, provides training and employment opportunities and contributes to the development of the economy by improving the livelihoods of local communities.

The Director of SG SOC stressed that a one tonne per hour oil mill to cater for fruits that will be harvested from 2012-2013 plantings has been ordered and the mill will be located at Talangaye and will go operational before the end of 2016. SG SOC has also given educational support, health and quality potable water to the communities. SG SOC has spent over FCFA 21.859 billion from 2009 to June 2015 and is expecting to spend over FCFA 29.664 billion from June 2015-2020 given a total of over FCFA 51.523 billion. All this is for planting, clearing, construction of infrastructures, purchase of equipment, payment of salaries, road rehabilitation and construction, just to name but these.