President Akufo-Addo has stated that the country has overcome the recent worst economic challenges and that Ghanaians should be looking forward to better times.
The President made the statement at the 67TH Independence Day Anniversary Parade held at the Koforidua Sports Stadium in the Eastern Region on Wednesday.
“Fellow Ghanaians, I know that we have gone through difficult economic circumstances, but it is clear that we have overcome the worst, and we should be looking forward to better times. I wish to make reference in particular to two projects coming on stream that should make a great difference to the economic fortunes of the country,” he said.
The President referred to the successful selection of strategic partners that will work with the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) to build a new alumina refinery, and develop mines at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso as three (3) of four (4) projects being executed under the Integrated Aluminium Industry (IAI) projects.
“ I have witnessed the signing of two (2) separate agreements in Accra recently, firstly, between GIADEC, a wholly-owned public entity, and Rocksure International, a wholly-owned private Ghanaian company, selected, after a rigorous process, as a strategic partner to develop a mine at Nyinahin-Mpassaso; and, secondly, between GIADEC and Mytilineos SA, a leading global industrial and energy company, which entails the development of a second mine at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso, and the establishment of a refinery,” President Akufo Added
According to him, the country is finally coming to the end of decades of exporting raw bauxite from the country adding, “We shall now refine bauxite, mined in Ghana, to produce alumina that will feed the VALCO smelter and the downstream aluminium industry, which is going to have a dramatic impact on Ghanaian industrialisation, when we produce parts for motor vehicles, air crafts, roofing sheets, and home utensils”
“ It has taken a long time for us to get to this stage, but we have taken the trouble to make sure that we get it right. As an indigene, it is my hope that, once litigation over the Atewa Forest Range, in Kyebi, is settled, we will be able to develop also the Kyebi bauxite mine and refinery, that will help deliver employment and high paying jobs for our people, and also ensure integration and value addition across the bauxite/aluminium value chain,” he said.