Savannah Golding Tree Donates Safety Equipment to PBC Shea Limited
Savannah Golden Tree Limited, organizers of the World Shea Expo, has donated safety equipment to PBC Shea Limited as part of efforts to improve occupational safety and working conditions in Ghana’s shea value chain. The donated items included customized safety boots and hand gloves.
The donation fulfills a pledge made by President John Dramani Mahama during the World Shea Expo held in Tamale in September 2025. At the event, the President announced plans to donate 10,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to women shea nut pickers and other workers across the shea value chain, following concerns raised about worker safety.
Speaking at the presentation, a representative of Savannah Golden Tree Limited, Saaka Ahmed, explained that the President’s pledge was realized through the support of the Ghana Export–Import Bank (Ghana Eximbank) and the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA), which provided funding for the procurement of the safety equipment.
He noted that the PPEs would be distributed to women shea cooperatives, shea butter processors including PBC Shea Limited, and other actors in the value chain to improve their safety and overall well-being.
Mr. Ahmed expressed optimism about the impact of the donation, stressing that safety challenges continue to affect productivity in the sector. He cited reported cases of snake bites among women shea nut pickers, which often limit their ability to work and reduce annual shea nut output.
“This intervention will not only protect the women but also help increase the volume of shea nuts supplied to processing companies,” he said.
Receiving the items on behalf of PBC Shea Limited, the Managing Director, Alhaji Abubakari Mumuni, expressed gratitude to Savannah Golden Tree for organizing the World Shea Expo, which brought national attention to safety issues within the shea industry and led to the donation.
He also thanked Ghana Eximbank and GEPA for honoring the President’s pledge and supporting the growth of the sector. “We are grateful for this timely support, and we assure all stakeholders that the equipment will be used strictly for its intended purpose,” he noted.
According to the Managing Director, the donation comes at a crucial time, as PBC Shea Limited has begun operating on a 24-hour basis due to increased demand for shea products. He emphasized that worker safety remains a top priority for the company.
“As our operations expand to a 24-hour production cycle, the safety of our workers becomes even more critical. This donation will significantly reduce workplace risks and enable our staff to work confidently and efficiently, ultimately increasing productivity and meeting the growing demand for shea products,” he stated.
Alhaji Mumuni further called on Savannah Golden Tree and other stakeholders to advocate for a ban on the exportation of raw shea nuts. He argued that Ghana has the capacity to add value locally by processing shea nuts into butter and finished products for export.
According to him, the export of raw shea nuts undermines local production, reduces job creation, and limits the economic benefits the country could derive from the shea industry.
His call was supported by the Savannah Golden Tree team, who acknowledged that the mass exportation of raw shea nuts poses a serious threat to local production. They noted that neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Nigeria have taken similar measures to protect their local shea industries.
They therefore stressed the need for Ghana to adopt policy interventions that prioritize value addition, job creation, and the long-term sustainability of the shea sector.
According to the team, greater incentives should be introduced to encourage youth participation in shea nut gathering, noting that only about 40 per cent of available shea nuts are currently harvested each year.
Source: Modern Ghana
