Presently, exploration work is being undertaken in parts of the mine’s concession where digging has already been done.

General Manager, Alexander Gyedu explains a comprehensive report will guide management’s plans to reclaim and restore the vegetative cover.

“We are undertaking the exploration work in areas we have mined already, if we do not find any minable areas, we will reclaim and plant trees,” he said.

The Ghana Bauxite Company has existed for over eight decades, mining a chunk of the concession.

Bauxite mining often involves the removal of vast stretches of forested land, leading to the destruction of biodiversity and the destabilization of local ecosystems.

In the case of GBC, the surface mining has left large tracts of land barren. The company is optimistic the strategy to restore some of the lost vegetative cover will improve the environment and also deepen commitment towards sustainable mining.

Already, Mr. Gyedu has indicated support for the government’s efforts to restore lost vegetative cover through the National Tree Planting Day.

“We have received a letter for the Forestry Commission seeking support for the National Greening Day; we have consistently supported such projects and we will continue to do so,” he added.

Additionally, the company is deploying surface miners to improve the sustainable mining of bauxite.

Already, one surface miner is being used for operations as efforts are made to secure three new ones before the close of the year.

“We are working on securing more surface miners so that our operations will not cause a lot of environmental pollution, negatively affecting communities in our catchment area,” Mr. Gyedu added.

The present drill and blast method is expected to ease to allow for surface mining which has less negative effect on the environment.

The drill and blast operations, which are largely used in the mining of bauxite, produce air and noise pollution that negatively impact the environment.

Until the new administration took over the Ghana Bauxite Company, operations largely depended on drill and blast methods, with attendant risks.

The new investors are shifting to the surface mining of bauxite as a more environmentally-friendly operation.

Speaking at the commissioning of a Community Relations Office, Alexander Gyedu said “this transition aims to enhance operational efficiency, reduce environmental impact, enhance resource recovery and reinforce our commitment to sustainability.”

Meanwhile, the company says it remains committed to abiding by all regulations on the environment.

“The company for its existence has been law abiding; all regulatory permits that allow us to do mining operations are secured. We have a bond posted at the Environmental Protection Agency as well,” he added.

By the existing agreement with off takers, about 48 percent of alumina content is rejected for export, hence, dumped in the mine’s tailing dam as waste.

General Manager of GBC, Alexander Gyedu has indicated the company is actively advancing efforts to construct a refinery for the purpose.

“We are very focused and determined to add value to the bauxite we are exporting now,” he indicated.

Mr. Gyedu further added, “some of the areas we are mining, the quality is a bit low but if we have the refinery, the 48 percent alumina content and below will be refined.”

He addressed the media on the sidelines of a working visit by the Ghana Bauxite Company to the Western North Regional Minister, Wilbert Petty Brentum.

Presently, the mine’s tailing dam which is a disposing ground for the aluminium that failed to meet the export standards are full.

Per their findings, it has about 47 percent alumina content, worthy of being refined.

The content of the tailing dam will be the first area of target for the company after the successful completion of the refinery.

“We can refine the 47 percent alumina content we mine here. It will be refined, and we will get more money and pay more taxes and contribute more to the GDP. We will recruit more workers and develop the locality which fits in the GIADEC development plan of refinery,” he added.

In 2022, IOP Group acquired 80% shares of Ghana Bauxite Company Limited at Awaso in the Western North Region, marking a significant milestone in Ghana’s mining industry.

The group has since invested US$122 million in infrastructure upgrade and resolution of operational inefficiencies, leading to an increase in the company’s bauxite tonnage to 1.8 million.

The construction of the refinery is the second step towards transforming the country’s mining industry to positively impact lives in the catchment.

Already, the land size of about three thousand square kilometres has been identified for evaluation by the Lands Commission.

Already, the Water Resources Commission, the Forestry Commission among other agencies are in the know of the development.

“Valuation Department of the Lands Commission is accessing the values of the property on the land and hopefully by the end of June we will have the valuation report and once we have it we will make payment to the affected farmers so we can commission the project,” Mr. Gyedu insisted.

Meanwhile, the Western North Regional Coordinating Council has assured of support for the Ghana Bauxite Company’s plans to build a refinery in the area.

According to the Minister, Wilbert Petty Brentum, the refinery when developed will lead to the economic empowerment of people in the area.

He further commended the changes the fully-owned Ghanaian company has brought into bauxite mining after the takeover.

The target comes after the investment of US$122 million in infrastructure upgrade and resolution of operational inefficiencies.

Last year, the company increased tonnage produced to 1.8 million, about 500,000 more than the quantity recorded per annum.

Following the takeover of the company by the Ofori Poku Company Limited, 122.97 million dollars of investment were made into retooling of the company.

This significant investment has enabled GBC to acquire a robust fleet of equipment, including surface miners, haulage trucks, dump trucks, excavators, and retooling of existing plant and machinery.

General Manager of GBC, Alexander Gyedu, at a press briefing at Awaso in the Western North Region, explained with the investments made “OPCL has acquired 42 new earth moving equipment, 52 new dump trucks, 16 new utilities, one surface miner and 35 new light duty vehicles, 2 new rollers, tractor slasher, among others for mining purposes alone.”

He added other equipment to boost the sustainable mining that is being procured.“The second surface miner is expected in Ghana by the end of June 2025,” he said.

The haulage department has also seen significant improvements, with OPCL adding 161 fleet of 9-axle trucks since taking over in 2022. This has led to a substantial increase in haulage operations, from around 600,000 tonnes in 2022 to about 1.7 million tonnes of bauxite in 2024.

“As GBC works towards achieving its production target of 6 million tonnes by the end of 2025, the company remains committed to environmentally responsible mining practices. The acquisition of new equipment and technology is expected to reduce the company’s environmental footprint”, Mr. Gyedu added.

The company has also announced plans to build a bauxite refinery to add value to bauxite being produced in the country.

Mr. Alexander Gyedu, in an interview with JoyNews, indicated the refinery will offer more job opportunities to the mine’s enclave.

He said discussions on land and other resources for the refinery are far advanced.

“We are setting up the refinery within the Awaso enclave so we can boost the local economy and offer more job opportunities to the people”, he indicated.

The refinery will process raw bauxite into alumina for the production of aluminum, increasing the value of the company’s output.

It is anticipated, the refining of bauxite will increase the value of the product by at least eighty percent, increasing the company’s profitability.

In 2022, Isaac Ofori Poku (IOP), a visionary Ghanaian businessman, acquired approximately 80% shares of Ghana Bauxite Company Limited at Awaso in the Western North Region, marking a significant milestone in Ghana’s mining industry.

This acquisition transferred majority ownership of the company to a local entity, IOP Group, which aimed at improving the company’s fortunes.

Under IOP’s leadership, Ghana Bauxite Company Limited has seen some investments, increasing the company’s value.

One of the major visions of Mr Ofori Poku was to reduce the unemployment rate in the catchment and Ghana at large.

The company since the takeover has increased its contract staff strength from 465 to 1061 employees, with 976 males and 85 females. This significant increase in employment opportunities has had a positive impact on the local economy.

Exportation of 1.8 million tonnes of bauxite ore through the investment made by the IOP Group was an unprecedented achievement in the history of the company.

The success of the Ghana Bauxite Company Limited under IOP’s leadership is a shining example of what can be achieved when local businesses are given the opportunity to thrive.

With a dynamic and energetic management team, supported by a committed workforce, the company is poised for even greater success in the future.

It comes after some concerns were raised by a member of Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), Martin Kpebu, on his Facebook page.

In the social media post, the private legal practitioner outlines five reasons for his call for forensic investigation into the sale of Ghana Bauxite Company to OPCL.

“Charlie, GoG must conduct a forensic into the sale of Ghana Bauxite Co. Ltd (GBC) to Ofori-Poku (OPCL). The shares were valued at $12.5 million in 2022 and GoG which owned 20% of the shares was given the right of first refusal to acquire the remaining 80% of the shares. GoG (per Charles Adu Boahene) refused the offer on the basis that there was no value for money etc. 2. But in less than 2 years, GBC is now valued at over $ 1 billion dollars! Yea you heard me right. How could that happen? 3. The man who did the valuation at $12.5 million is now the CFO of the buyer (OPCL). 4. Is it true OPCL is owned by a big financier of the NPP? 5. The owner of OPCL was a board member of GBC at the time of the sale of GBC to OPCL.. Insider trading? More to follow. Guys let’s sit up. This contract must be investigated. No way,” the facebook post read.

In a press release, OPCL has responded to each of the issues raised by the private legal practitioner.

According to the Ofori-Poku Company Limited (OPCL), the issues raised over the purchase of the GBC are misleading and inaccurate.

To them, the sale of Bonsai Mineral’s eighty percent stake of GBC to OPCL followed due process. The group argues that they opted to buy the company after the Government of Ghana forfeited the opportunity granted by law.

The statement emphasized “OPCL lawfully acquired the 80% stake from BOSAI Minerals on the same terms as offered to the government, ensuring business continuity and commitment to the company’s long-term growth and development”.

The Government of Ghana’s 20 percent stake in the company remains untouched.

The company’s press release further challenges the valuation claims.

It emphasized “the claim that GBC was valued at $12.5 million in 2022 and is now worth over $1 billion is misleading and lacks factual basis”.

It further argues the fluctuation in the company’s valuation was dependent on investment, operational improvements, and market conditions.

“Since acquiring GBC, OPCL has made significant financial investment and strategic interventions that have enhanced efficiency, increased output, and strengthened the company’s market position. These improvements have naturally had an impact on the current valuation,” it states.

Ofori-Poku Company Limited has dismissed Martin Kpebu’s assertion the company’s Chief Finance Officer was the same person who did the valuation of the company before the acquisition by the new owner.

“The assertion that an individual who was involved in the valuation later became the CFO of OPCL is false,” it refutes.

They further indicated, “GBC under OPCL’s leadership operates with a professional management structure, and all key appointments are made based on competence and industry experience. Any attempt to suggest unethical behavior is unfounded and misleading.”

The claim that GBC was sold to a financier of the NPP is strongly contested by OPCL.

OPCL claims the ownership of the company is in no doubt since it is well-documented and can be verified.

“Any suggestion that it is secretly owned by a financier of a political party is false, misleading and intended to create unnecessary suspicion in the minds of the public. The acquisition was purely a commercial transaction, driven by business strategy, financial viability and investment potential. The process adhered to all regulatory requirements and there was no political influence or interference at any stage.”

Though the claim that the owner of OPCL was a Board Member of GBC prior to the sale is true, they insist there was no insider trading as suggested.

“Board membership does not equate to insider trading, particularly in a private company like GBC. It is standard corporate practice for shareholders-including the government of Ghana, which was also represented on the board- to have access to relevant financial and operational information”, the statement reads.

It further added, “Insider trading laws apply to publicly traded companies, not private transactions such as this one. There was no insider trading, conflict of interest, and no impropriety, only lawful, commercial sound business transactions. Any attempt to suggest otherwise is uninformed and misleading.”

Addressing residents of the town, Mahama outlined a detailed plan to tap into the area’s significant bauxite reserves, aiming to create jobs locally and drive national economic growth.

Mahama criticized the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for failing to capitalize on this resource during its eight years in power.

He urged residents to reconsider their support for the NPP and vote for the NDC, describing it as a party focused on development and progress.

“We will engage with the chiefs regarding the construction of a railway from Takoradi to Nyinahin to facilitate the easy transportation of bauxite. Additionally, we will construct a factory for aluminum production to create more jobs for the youth.

“We are committed to the development of our country. The days of supporting a party solely based on lineage are no longer relevant. Let’s choose a government that will deliver real benefits to the people,” he appealed.

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He stressed that the refined products will be supplied to the Volta Aluminium Company Limited (VALCO) and the broader downstream aluminium industry.

During an event commemorating Ghana’s 67th Independence Day in Koforidua, Eastern Region, on Wednesday, March 6, the President highlighted the approaching end of the era of exporting raw bauxite as the transformative process unfolds.

President Akufo-Addo expressed optimism that this initiative will play a crucial role in advancing Ghanaian industrialisation.

“We are finally coming to the end of decades of exporting raw bauxite from the country. 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,” he said.

President Akufo-Addo also reiterated his commitment to developing the Atewa Forest Range in Kyebi to address unemployment in the area, once the litigation surrounding the forest is resolved.

“As an indigene, I 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 assured.

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“The Act through which GIADEC was created stipulates that, the corporation must own 30 per cent of all mining entities that mine the country’s bauxite,” he said.

The corporation, according to Mr Ansah, aims at building an integrated bauxite mining and refinery industry in the country.

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“We want to have the entire value chain of bauxite processing in the country, from mining to refinery to smelting,” he said.

Ghana is reported to have in excess of 900 million metric tonnes of bauxite in reserves, positioning Ghana as the 8th largest country with bauxite reserves.

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Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Eko Sii Sen show on Thursday, Mr Ansah said the corporation plans to create four bauxite mining concessions.

“So at the various bauxite mining areas in the country, we want to break them into four mining concessions of mining companies that will mine bauxite between 3-5 million metric tonnes,” he noted.

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He also revealed that GIADEC, by the end of the first or second quarter of 2020 will select companies to begin mining the country’s bauxite reserves.  

GIADEC, developed by the government, is to aid industrial transformation and accelerate development of the Ghanaian economy.

The mayhem stemmed from a long-running disagreement between the management and the workers over the latter’s  conditions of service.

Many enraged workers went on the rampage, setting vehicles, residential and office buildings ablaze.
The development has resulted in the closure of the company.

The violence, which started last Monday, degenerated into incessant attacks on the properties yesterday after the general manager of the company, who had just returned from China, allegedly threw all the agreed terms in the ongoing negotiations overboard.

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The Chinese managers of the company escaped in the cause of the protests, while the Ghanaian Human Resource Manager also managed to escape to an unknown location with his family through the bush.

As of midday yesterday the angry workers had blocked roads to and from the town.

Eyewitnesses told the Daily Graphic that more than seven offices, including the Human Resource Department and adjoining offices, were burnt.

Vehicles ablaze

The aggrieved workers allegedly moved to the residence of the Human Resource Manager and set the house and vehicles on the compound ablaze.

They are also said to have caused extensive damage to the residence of the Chinese General Manager, blocked the road to the mines with their haulage trucks and set tyres on fire, thereby halting all economic activities and vehicular movement.

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A source close to the workers told the Daily Graphic that the aggrieved workers wanted increment in their salaries and other conditions.

It said after the takeover of the bauxite mine, part of the operations was outsourced to service providers, which led to a disparity in the salary of workers.

Salary disparities

The workers decided to put their proposal before management to correct the anomalies but the latter was not able to meet the workers’ demand, hence the demonstration.

The source said all those would have been avoided if the general manager had been diplomatic in his approach.

“Although the committee agreed on certain things, when the general manger returned, he cancelled all,” it said.

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Colossal damage

When contacted, the Awaso Divisional Police Commander, Chief Supt Osei Bonsu, said the police were in control of the situation and that the District Security Committee (DISEC) was meeting to find a solution to the situation.

He described the damage to properties as “colossal” and added that “they blocked the entrance to the mines and facilities with the haulage trucks and took the keys away and the drivers were nowhere to be found”.

“We are actually working with all stakeholders, including the traditional rulers, to get the issues resolved. We are at the moment trying to locate some of the drivers with the keys to the trucks,” he added.

The police, he said, were working to  protect lives and properties, saying: “We are not into corporate negotiations and who did not agree to what.

 We are to ensure peace and any element of criminality will be handled according to law.”

Source: Daily Graphic

Minister of Land and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu who announced this says Nyinahin, Kyebi and Awaso have enough bauxite reserves that can power a long-term refinery.

It is believed the reserves from the three sites could provide the raw material needed for the refinery in 50-years.

“The good thing is that, if you combine Nyinahin, Kyebi and then this current site that we have, we have extensive reserves that will enable creations and formations of a refinery,” he said.

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According to Mr. Amewu, the move forms part of efforts to add value to the mined mineral to the benefit of Ghanaians.

“So I think we will call on companies that are interested to begin to talk to government and see how we can establish a refinery that will, of course, benefit the company and then Ghanaians in general rather than take it out in its current raw state. So the way forward is to go into refinery.”

Mr. Amewu who announced this during a day’s visit to the Ghana Bauxite Company in Awaso also announced a similar refinery to refine 30 percent of Ghana’s gold will be ready in November this year.

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Officials of the Ghana Bauxite Company in 2011 began talks with the government to establish a refinery.

Lack of commitment on the part of the government, reliable power supply and enough tonnage of ore to feed the refinery stalled the discussions.

Mr. Amewu, however, wants the Ghana Bauxite Company to take advantage of the recently passed law, Ghana Bauxite Integrated Aluminium Industry Act, 2018, the legal framework to process bauxite into aluminum.