British High Commissioner courts ‘alata samina’ for British market
The British High Commission in Ghana has revealed it is considering the option to support organic products such as “alata samina” to flourish in the British Market.
It also revealed that there is a high demand for organic soaps in the British market, hence the need for proper packaging to break into the market.
Her Excellency Harriet Thompson, the British High Commissioner to Ghana, who was on a familiarization tour of the Awutu Senya West, stated that she is committed to visiting the entire country to get better acquainted with the happenings there.
She explained that her visit to the Awutu Bawjiase Alata Samina organic production base will also help position the factory for the British market hence the need for them to support the production of the organic soap to meet the UK market.
The High Commissioner further announced that plans are underway to link the livelihood program of the embassy to that of small scale businesses in that enclave to shape their production line.
“I aim to visit every region of Ghana and I am delighted to be visiting this district. I am also here to learn about the challenges facing the communities and the opportunities in the community. One of the programs that the High Commissioner runs is a livelihood program which looks at how we can grow small businesses like the alata samina production and how they can make an impact on the British market. The benefit of the organic products are enormous as people in the UK have recognized their benefits,” Her Excellency Harriet Thompson said.
For producers of the local Ghanaian organic soap known as alata samina in the Awutu Bawjiase enclave, some financial support is needed to expand their frontiers across the borders of the country.
They said that apart from financial support they are also seeking to mechanise their production by moving from the use of firewood to gas which in the end will reduce air pollution.
There have been situations where the acquisition of palm kernel and coconut oil which are the raw materials for the production of the organic soap are scarce on the market halting their operations.
“The difficulty is that the acquisition of raw material base is sometimes scarce and it makes it difficult for us to work. The high cost of materials is also a disadvantage to our business. We are hoping for better collaboration with the British High Commission to help us market our products in the British market,” Abdul Jeiyl Yaqub Taiwo, one of the producers of the alata samina soap said.
Legislator for Awutu Senya West, Gizella Tetteh Agbotui, said she is hopeful the visit by the High Commissioner to the area will yield positive results, especially in the area of support for small businesses.
“We met with the British High Commission sometime in Parliament and this was the beginning of greater things to come. With the classroom connect program they trained over one hundred teachers in twenty schools in the constituency. So the High Commissioner scheduled a visit to the constituency and that is what we are seeing now.”
“But I am optimistic that her visit will benefit the constituency and also provide a platform for the local producers of Alata Samina who are anxious to see their products break the UK market. There are a lot of women engaged in this business and being a woman I am sure she will help the small businesses thrive.”
The Ambassador later paid a courtesy call on the Chiefs and People of Awutu Traditional Council and the Awutu Winton Senior High School.
