Charles Wilberforce Nuakoh (2nd left) addressing the press
The people of Tano Offin Forest Belt, together with Asante groups namely Asante Kotoko Society, Asanteman Community Foundation and Royal Society of Asante Researchers (ROSACH) have expressed strong support for the mining lease agreement between the government and the Ashanti Bauxite Limited (ABL) that took place in 2024.
The groups have also called on the government to ensure the agreement is relaid and its subsequent ratification in the 9th Parliament.
“We the community members, are demanding that this agreement should be relaid and ratified for ABL to start work or the government should not bring any other company to the land to extract the bauxite,” the group demanded at a press conference.
Chairman of the group, Charles Wilberforce Nuakoh, called on the government to ensure that the agreement, which was executed on May 14, 2024, goes through the process for ratification during this parliamentary session, to pave way for the company to start work.
Background
In 2019, Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) commenced a three-round investor engagement process aimed at identifying and selecting potential strategic investors to partner with GIADEC to develop the Integrated Aluminium Industry (IAI). At the start of the Investor Engagement Rounds, 39 companies requested for the Round 1 invitation documents in order to participate in the process. After the three Investor Engagement Rounds, Rocksure was selected as the first strategic investor.
In September 2021, GIADEC signed a Heads of Terms (HoT) agreement with Rocksure, by which Rocksure was to carry out exploration of Block B containing hills 4, 5 and 6 out of a total of 10 hills within the Nyinahin-Mpasaaso bauxite deposit, and subsequently formed a joint venture company with GIADEC to execute Project 2, that is to develop a bauxite mine in Block B with a refinery solution.
Rocksure was also enjoined to undertake an Environmental Baseline Study to identify all environmental and social impact issues within the area for redress, and carry out a Refinery Pre-feasibility Study. Rocksure successfully completed the exploration work and produced a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) report in accordance with JORC Code 2012.
Rocksure has also completed an Environmental Baseline Study and a Refinery Pre-feasibility Study. The MRE report, which established bauxite resources of commercial quantities, was presented to the former President, Nana Akufo-Addo, at the Jubilee House on November 14, 2023.
A joint venture (JV) company known as ‘Ashanti Bauxite Limited’ (ABL) between Rocksure and GIADEC, was incorporated to execute Project 2 to develop a bauxite mine in Block B with a refinery solution. Based on the Mine Feasibility Study presented to the Minerals Commission, ABL exhibited the financial, technical, and human resources requirements to undertake Project 2 efficiently.
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Government, therefore, granted ABL a mining lease. The then Minister of Lands and Natural Resources laid the mining lease in Parliament and sought parliamentary ratification in accordance with Article 268(1) of the Constitution and Section 5 (4) of Act 703.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi