The Council also appealed to the government to release the accumulated funds in the Obuasi Community Trust Fund, which was established during the AngloGold Ashanti operations to the Allodial Owner (the Paramount Chief).

That, he said, would help resolve teething challenges in the area such insanitary conditions and inadequate school infrastructure.

It said a Consultant was engaged, who produced the blueprint for the formation of the Trust Fund, noting that, at the time of the formation of the Fund, the Paramount Stool was vacant, hence the inability to utilize the monies for the intended purpose.

This was contained in a statement read by Nana Akwasi Yentumi Asante, Adansihene’s Special Aide to Opagyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie II, Adansihene, and President of the Adansi Traditional Council when a delegation from the Adansi State paid a courtesy call on John Peter Amewu, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in Accra.

The delegation of chiefs and opinion leaders was led by Nana Kwae Pinsan II, Adansi Kusahene, who doubles as the Adansi Twafohene.

The statement said as part of the diversification drive, the Obuasi Rejuvenation Working Committee is considering the establishment of a technical university and a Special Mine Museum at Obuasi and asked for government’s support.

It expressed appreciation to the President, the Cabinet and members of the Council of State for rejuvenating the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine concession.

It said 60 per cent of the concession should be properly regulated so as to harness the full potential in terms of mineable gold reserves to improve the lots of the people in the area.

It suggested that the government should release 60 per cent of the concession to large mining firms that have the capacity, logistics and technical know-how to help government maximize the reserves.

It appealed to government to investigate and consider withdrawing the operating licence of Pelangio Mining Group, a Canadian mining firm, which has been operating in Adansi for the past 12 years, for failing to fulfill its social obligations and showing gross disrespect to the traditional authorities.

‘‘Nananom unleashed their anger on illegal miners and some large-scale mining companies, who took undue advantage of the supposedly weak monitoring system of the Ministry and the Minerals Commission, and went overboard to even mine for gold when in principle, they should have just undertaken reconnaissance and exploration but not actual gold mining,’’ it stated.

Mr Amewu, in his response, assured the delegation that government would undertake the necessary consultations to resolve the concerns enumerated to bring peace and harmony to the area.

He said government was determined to curb all activities of illegal mining and make sure that, the host communities benefit from mining operations in the area.

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Source: GNA

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According to him, this will bring more revenue into the country, and also create jobs, instead of the current system where gold is exported in its raw state.

[contextly_sidebar id=”UaYXYb4YCKb7aS5B6MmcSvizF0qABqVF”]At a press conference in Kumasi on Sunday, Baffour Brantuo said he was hopeful that the one-district, one-factory initiative by government would make this idea a reality as he cited Tepa as his ideal location.

“It is our belief that if the gold in Asanteman is not exported raw but refined, one can be sure that there will be a lot of benefits to the people of the region and I am working with the Tepahene to set up a refinery in Tepa.”

“I know that once we refine our gold, the source of gold will become important and for that reason, if your source is not a legal source, you cannot send gold for refinement and then for export. There is a lot of work to be created with this idea of one-district, one-factory. It is part of the agenda that is in this new city,” the Mawerehene said.

Ghana has mined gold for decades, but has failed to add value to the raw material, as the commodity is exported and refined outside, and sold back to Ghanaians at high cost.

The country has also failed to develop areas where the minerals are mined, despite the huge taxes government earns from the mining firms.

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By: Farida Shaibu/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Located within the Airport Light Industrial Area in Accra, the $110 million plant has the capacity to refine raw dust, scrap gold and other precious metals up to 180 metric tonnes per annum in a single shift production.Besides, the state-of-the-art facility would refine up to the finest quality.

The refinery, which would provide direct and indirect employment to 1,500 people, is the initiative of the Euroget Group of Egypt, Banking and Financial Services (BAFIS), an international joint stock company, and some local shareholders.

Ghana is one of the top 10 gold producing countries in the world with production over the last three years pegged at 92 metric tonnes per year.

Although the history of the country in gold production dates back to over 100 years, the quest to add value to the raw gold had remained only a dream.

That is why the President described the refinery as a dream come true and a stamp of approval of Ghana’s investment climate.

“This is the fruit of perseverance and vision,” the President said of the investors, and thanked them for the confidence they had in the Ghanaian economy.Transformation agendaPresident Mahama said the refinery was tied in with the government’s transformation agenda, adding, “It is one of the positive responses to our agenda for transformation”.

As the country’s investment continued to get better, President Mahama said he believed that investors would continue to take advantage to put their money in Ghana.

“Ghana is recognised as the number one country with the ease of doing business index”, he said, mentioning various factors, including the legal and political climate as contributors to the development.

He stated that the government’s vision to add value to its primary commodities was yielding results.President Mahama said Ghana was working towards entering jewellery production as the government collaborated with the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to set up a jewellery production village at Tepa in the Ashanti Region.

Environmental degradationAlthough the mining sector contributed 14 per cent of the government’s gross domestic revenues, President Mahama mentioned that the sector came with a major cost of environmental damage resulting from illegal activities.

However, a number of measures had been put in place to arrest the problem once and for all, he assured.The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Euroget Group, Dr Said Deraz, said the investors had never regretted taking the decision to invest in Ghana.

“The RC Refinery, in collaboration with its Canadian partners, will support and promote sustainable organisation on artisanal and small-scale miners to create access to technology, machines, equipment and financing, which are essential to improve capacity”, he said.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, said the mining sector was seeing a healthy growth.

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Source: Graphic Online

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