The Ghanian government held talks last week with Russian aluminium giant UC Rusal regarding investing in Ghana’s domestic bauxite industry.
On Friday, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of mining George Mireku Duker met with several officials from Rusal to discuss the issue. The meeting last week was meant to pave the way for an in-person visit to the country in the middle of next month.
Duker, who is also the the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa-Nsuaem constituency, was optimistic that the meetings would yield fruit for the country’s bauxite industry, possibly even leading to the resurrection of the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO).
“Ghana Government is very determined to build robust integrated bauxite industry, their planned visit is likely to see VALCO being revamped.”
“On behalf of Hon. Jinapor, I assured them of government’s commitment of creating enabling working environment for reputable investors in Ghana. As a country, we will continue to engage to have a win win situation for both investors and government,” he concluded.
Mining is one of the biggest economic activities in Ghana, and the country has been an exporter of the bauxite precursor since the 1940s. Most of the country’s bauxite mining activity is in the Awaso region, though bauxite caches are known to exist in Ejuanema, Nyinahin, and Kibi.