Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, has reiterated government’s commitment to work with investors who are willing to accept the policy direction of President John Dramani Mahama on value addition to Ghana’s mineral resources.
“The government’s policy is now firmly oriented towards local beneficiation such as refining bauxite to Alumina integration or the development of detailed processing capacity,” he said firmly.
Addressing the investor community at this year’s China Mining Conference in Tianjin, China on Friday, September 11, he underscored the essence of value addition in resource management.
According to the charismatic diplomat, Ghana has made a clear and deliberate choice that “we will no longer be content to explore raw ore and import back finished products at higher prices”.
“It is not good,” he remarked.
Consequently, the energetic diplomat explained the current resource construction structure of government.
“We are building frameworks, infrastructure, and the incentives to give more values, more skills and more jobs.”
He noted that the administration of President Mahama is not just reshaping the mining industry but broadly rewriting the narrative of the exploitation and exploration of mineral resources in Ghana.
For him, the administration remains “a government that doesn’t see mining as an extractive afterthought but as a central pillar of our utilisation of agenda under our unified national development priorities”.
Credited by Ghanaians for his incredible role in rebranding of Ghana Oil Company Limited (GOIL), construction of Kejetia market in Kumasi, and other important infrastructure in the country, Mr Bonsu described China as a worthy partner bilaterally.
“China has been and remains Ghana’s significant partner on infrastructure, trade, and increasingly in the mining and minerals value chain.”
“We are, therefore, here to present opportunities, listen, negotiate, and build partnerships that are genuinely mutual and grounded in fair terms,” he further told the Chinese investment community.
He called for technology transfer, local content development and shared prosperity amongst the business community in Ghana and China as the two countries continue to pursue mutual interest of building stronger partnerships.
Aside that, Ambassador Kojo Bonsu appealed for a transparent, improving regulatory environment, a skilled and youthful workforce and a government that sees mining as a catalyst for development.
Ghana’s Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, who was the Guest Speaker at the Ghana Forum, touched on a number of issues currently troubling the mining sector.
These issues, he said, included geological information gap, which is affecting the search for mineral resources.
Aside that, the Minister mentioned regulatory reforms, establishment of National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS), among other solutions, to deal precisely and decisively with illegal mining operators in Ghana.
He said cooperative mining, and introduction of medium scale mining were all being carried out by government to drum home support for value addition to Ghana’s mineral resources.