Ahafo: Madam Charity Gardiner, the Ahafo Regional Minister, has called on the government to intervene and help revamp the Ayum Timber Product Company Limited to create more job opportunities for the youth in the region. According to management, the company situated at Mim in the Asunafo North Municipality of the Region had cut its workforce from over 2000 to 800 due to operational challenges.

According to Ghana News Agency, during an inspection visit, Madam Gardiner noted that with full operation, the company had the capacity to engage and provide job opportunities for thousands of people in the area. That, she added, would greatly tackle the teeming youth unemployment which threatened the security of the region. Madam Gardiner said the visit was to enable her to assess the operations of the company, their challenges, and contributions to spurring local economic growth and development.

Mr. Simon Kwame Amoako, the General Manager of Ayum Forestry Product Company Limited, expressed concern about the growing invasion of the company's concession. He said the encroachers had entered the five forest reserves of the company, which was hugely impacting its operations and called for the intervention of the Regional Minister to bring the situation under control. Mr. Amoako commended the Minister for the visit and expressed hope that the company would attract government attention and intervention too.