In furtherance of the resolve to make Ghana a hub for the addition of value to mineral resources, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to cut sod for the construction of a $450million manganese processing plant at Nsuta in the Western Region.
This was disclosed by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, who disclosed that the processes for the commencement of the project are at the concluding stages, with expectations rife among all the stakeholders that the project will kick off before the end of the year.
Speaking to the media during his tour of the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) in the Western Region on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Hon. Jinapor commended the management and staff of the company for their dedicated service to the country.
He, however, disclosed that the contributions of the GMC to the country’s economy are about to skyrocket with the construction of a refinery plant, which is a key feature of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s vision for Ghana’s natural resources.
Hon. Jinapor explained that the country is on the verge of crossing the Rubicon relative to the processes for the commencement of construction of the refinery and that it is a significant milestone for the government, which has consistently delivered on its promise to the country.
Describing it as a ‘big deal’ and a ‘major breakthrough,’ the Lands Minister averred that the construction of the refinery will mark a huge shift in the harnessing of the country’s resources from the exportation of raw materials to the addition of value, which will result in increased employment and revenue from the manganese industry.
“The company is working to get its next strategic phase done and far advanced. ” I am happy to report that we are currently at the concluding phase of beginning the construction of a refinery here in Nsuta”.
“This will mean that products of this company, which have been shipped in their raw form for many years, will now have value addition in Ghana. A lot of work has been done on this matter. Teams from Ghana and China have visited both countries, and there has been a lot of work. At this stage, we are left with a few issues and getting parliamentary approval for the fiscal regime.
“Thereafter, we will be very much on the highway in terms of getting the refinery constructed and commissioned. This will mean that the centuries of exporting raw manganese will be a thing of the past. We are now going to have value addition and retain the reasonably highest end of the value chain of the manganese industry here in Ghana.
“It will have positive implications on employment and have several linkages, in terms of downstream industry and its economic effects. It forms part of President Akufo-Addo’s vision for the mining sector of this country. The president’s vision has been value addition for all our natural resources,” he said.
Jurgen Eijgendaal, the Managing Director of GMC, commended Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor for the visit and the rich support the company has enjoyed under his stewardship as sector minister.\
He disclosed further that the company is readying itself for the refinery journey and that a number of areas will undergo significant investments and revamp to ensure that they provide the needed natural resources for the refinery plant.