Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) Limited is set to establish its first manganese refinery at Nsuta in the Western Region, a move expected to create more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs while boosting value addition in the mining sector.
The proposed refinery is aimed at enhancing local processing of manganese, increasing revenue from Ghana’s mineral resources and supporting efforts to industrialise the economy.
Plans for the project gained momentum following engagements between the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem, Mr Issah Salifu Taylor, officials of Ghana Manganese Company and the company’s principal investor in China.
Mr Taylor recently travelled to China with the Deputy Managing Director of the company, Mr Sun Yuanwei, to discuss the investor’s commitment to the project and readiness to establish the refinery at the company’s operational site in Nsuta.
The investor, he indicated, expressed readiness to proceed with the project and appealed for support in securing the necessary permits, approvals and licences under Ghanaian law.
To advance the initiative, the MP subsequently constituted a technical team to assess the project’s readiness and engage management on the steps required for implementation.
The team, made up of experts from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), the mining industry and the MP’s office, later met with officials of Ghana Manganese Company and inspected the proposed site for the refinery.
During the engagement, company officials outlined progress made on the project, key milestones achieved and challenges that required support from government institutions.
Addressing management after the inspection yesterday, Mr Taylor pledged to support efforts to secure the necessary approvals for the project and facilitate engagements with relevant government institutions and regulatory agencies.
He stated that the refinery had the potential to transform the local economy through job creation and increased value addition in the mining sector.
The MP further disclosed that he was awaiting a technical report from the expert team to guide subsequent engagements with regulators, policymakers and other stakeholders on the implementation of the project.
If completed, the refinery would become one of the country’s major mineral value-addition projects and strengthen efforts to move Ghana beyond the export of raw minerals.
FROM TIMES REPORTER, NSUTA
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