Churches Urged to Go into Manufacturing

The National Coordinator for the government’s flagship One-District-One-Factory project, Gifty Ohene-Konadu, has admonished churches to take advantage of the opportunities under the initiative and go into the manufacturing sector.

She strongly believes that the church as a well-organized body, and having thrived in the education, health and other sectors of the economy, will do much better when they enter into the manufacturing field to compliment the efforts of existing businesses.

This she noted, will boost the economy by creating numerous employment avenues for the unemployed youth, especially, at the district level where their services are mostly needed.

Mrs. Ohene-Konadu made this appeal, when she launched the Lan T Soy Milk Company at Asutuare in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region recently.

Lan T Soy Milk Company is a Chinese company owed by Pastor Lan Yongsheng, an Adventist.

Mrs. Ohene-Konadu said “There has been historical links with churches in Ghana in areas of economic growth and development. Contributions in education from the churches have been very tremendous. The Seventh Day Adventist Church (SDA), for instance, has supported the country’s kindergarten, primary, secondary, technical, teacher training and tertiary institutions. They have been viewed as real agents of development.”

“In areas of business development, the SDA Church as an institution has supported the establishment of businesses and factories. At the Valley View University Business Center, development units exist to build entrepreneurship. With the proactive visions of His Excellency the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, I wish to call on churches, to throw their weight behind the manufacturing and establishment of factories across the length and breadth of the country,” she noted.

The company which started production in February, 2018, after having been certified by the Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Food and Research Institute with permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) produces 5,000 pieces of soy milk daily and are served to churches, stores and schools for free.

The SDA Church, according to the National Coordinator of the One-District-One-Factory project, have special passion for quality food and expressed the belief that their entry into the manufacturing sector, especially, into food production, will be of great service to the country.

Lan T Soy Milk Company, a subsidiary of Lan Tianyi Beverages was founded in 2015 by Pastor Lan Yongsheng with his wife and some Ghanaian partners.

Pastor Lan Yongsheng, an Adventist, has vast professional experience in pastoral ministry and business.

He served as the Head Pastor of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Jinlin Province for more than 16 years. He managed over 100 churches within the Province. He is also an illustrious business man, having successfully opened and run one of the biggest soymilk production companies in China. The Company, Royal Heaven Beverages Ltd, in China has been operating for 8 years.