GOV’T INAUGURATES COMMITTEE TO SELECT INVESTORS FOR LANDMARK VALCO, ALUMINA REFINERY PROJECT
The move is a critical step in Ghana's plan to shift from exporting raw bauxite to building a fully integrated aluminum industry, a vision first championed by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has inaugurated a high-level committee to select strategic investors for two cornerstone projects: the modernization of the VALCO smelter and the construction of Ghana’s first alumina refinery.
The committee, put together by the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), is tasked with evaluating proposals from global investors and recommending partners who can provide not just capital, but also technology, expertise, and a commitment to environmentally responsible practices.
In his keynote address, Hon. Buah emphasized the transformative potential of the projects for Ghana’s industrial landscape. “The transformational agenda is clear: We must move from raw-material export to value addition; from mine and export to process and manufacture and export,” he stated.
He described the projects as “interdependent and mutually reinforcing,” noting that the refinery will supply alumina to the modernized VALCO smelter, which will, in turn, anchor a downstream aluminum manufacturing industry. This integrated system is expected to create thousands of jobs and drive the emergence of broader industrial clusters.
The Minister framed this initiative as part of President Mahama’s “reset agenda,” fulfilling a national vision first championed by Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, to build a fully integrated aluminum industry.
The Acting CEO of GIADEC, Reindorf Twumasi Ankrah, reaffirmed the corporation’s commitment to supporting the committee and noted the “strong interest” from reputable global investors, which he said signals confidence in the government’s management.
Currently, VALCO operates at a fraction of its 200,000-tonne capacity due to the lack of a domestic alumina refinery, forcing it to import the raw material. The successful execution of these two projects is seen as the critical missing link to unlocking the full potential of Ghana’s bauxite resources and establishing a self-sufficient aluminum value chain.
Source:NKONKONSA.com
