President Akufo-Addo is scheduled to break ground for the construction of a $450 million manganese processing plant at Nsuta in the Western Region on Thursday, November 25, 2024.
This announcement was made by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, who noted that preparations for the project are nearing completion. Stakeholders are optimistic that construction will commence before the end of the year.
During his tour of the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) in the Western Region on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor praised the company’s management and staff for their dedicated service to the nation.
He revealed that GMC’s contributions to Ghana’s economy are set to soar with the construction of a refinery plant, a key component of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s vision for the country’s natural resources.
Hon. Jinapor emphasized that the project is on the brink of starting, marking a significant milestone for the government, which has consistently fulfilled its promises.
Describing the refinery as a ‘big deal’ and a ‘major breakthrough,’ the Lands Minister highlighted that the project will transform the country’s approach to resource management, shifting from raw material exports to value addition.
This shift is expected to generate more employment and increase revenue from the manganese sector.
“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, Managing Director of GMC, expressed his gratitude to Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor for the visit and the strong support the company has received under his leadership as sector minister.
He further revealed that GMC is preparing for the refinery project, with several key areas set to undergo significant investment and upgrades to ensure they supply the necessary natural resources for the new plant.