Features
Iron ore and bauxite – key to potential income generation
• Bauxite is important to Ghana’s economy
News about iron ore deposits in certain parts of the country particularly the Oti Region is welcoming news that cannot be taken for granted because iron ore generates steel which can be used to support the building and construction industry.
Countries like Canada, Australia and Brazil together dominate the world’s iron ore exports. Each of these countries export substantial portions of iron ore to other countries, deriving substantial revenue from these exports.
The seven largest of iron ore producing countries in the world account for about 3-quarters of total world production. Almost all portions of the iron ore, 98 per cent, is used in steel making. Such a vital product brings in millions of dollars to the exporting countries. In all, countries that export iron ore number about 50.
Apart from iron ore, the country Ghana is also endowed with large amounts of bauxite which can also be used to support the country’s aluminium industry. Thus, Ghana is fortunate to have iron ore and aluminium to develop its construction and building industry.
The Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation (GIADEC) is confident of attracting over US$6 billion private capital to actualise a harmonised aluminium industry.
The country envisioned an integrated industry soon after independence, but GIADEC is now stepping up efforts to develop a comprehensive aluminium industry in line with the country’s renewed commitment to use its bauxite endowments to become an automobile and industrial hub within the continent.
It is also banking on the integrated aluminium development plan to unlock the potential of Ghana’s construction, pharmaceutical, electric cable manufacturing and packaging industries.
The Bauxite mineral is very important to the economy of the country since it can help to build up various sectors of the economy and generate more income to improve upon the welfare of all Ghanaians. The Pharmaceutical industry cannot thrive without the aluminium industry which is also dependent on Bauxite.
Thus, if the country is fortunate to have Bauxite for the development of its aluminium industry, then every effort will have to be made to ensure that the integrated aluminium system being built is made to succeed to the full. This will make the country less dependent on other countries as far as its pharmaceutical needs are concerned.
The integrated aluminium industry in the country can also go a long way to help in the development of the building and construction industry. The building sector cannot thrive without support from aluminium. If there’s no aluminium to support that industry, then the country will have to import to support its aluminium needs from other countries.
Needless to say, the Russian-Ukraine conflict has taught us a lesson that we cannot always depend on imports from other countries. It is said that Russia and Ukraine are only two countries in the world yet they are able to use their resources to control the entire world. Ghana has learnt its lesson and cannot continue to depend on imports from other countries.
The country will have to limit itself to only essential goods that cannot be produced here but where it is possible to produce anything internally, every effort will have to be made to ensure that this is done successfully so that the country can depend on its own self and export some of its products for some income.
The production of iron rods and other items like steel and many others can all be produced here in Ghana to help strengthen the construction industry. Such a move will make the development of housing in the country cheaper than can be envisaged so that with time, housing units will become generally affordable in the country.
This is what the country should work towards to make life better for its people. If this agenda is pursued vigorously, it will help to bring in much economic improvement to the country.
In the past, the Bauxite mined in this country was exported in its raw forms and we thought that we were making enough money but later we realised that this was not the case. The Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) was established to perform a certain role in this country through the use of the Bauxite but things did not move the way expected.
The country has a second chance, having learnt its mistakes in the past, to take corrective steps to amend its ways so as to export only value-added products to generate more income.
In addition, the aluminium products in the country must be well developed to serve the domestic needs of people in the country and make life better for everyone. The aluminium industry which is dependent on Bauxite should, therefore, be well defined,
properly organised and efficiently integrated in a manner that will serve the multipurpose agenda of all Ghanaians.
This is what the Ghana Integrated Aluminum Development Corporation (GIADEC) seeks to achieve and must be implemented to the letter and for ultimate growth and development of this wonderful country.
Email address/whatsApp number of author:
Pradmat201@gmail.com (0553318911)
By Dr. Kofi Amponsah-Bediako
THE typical itinerant salesman in Sikaman is a herbalist. He is normally a slim macho with the capacity to perambulate the expanse of area covering the triangle of Accra-Tema-Ashiaman. In short, he can walk a total of 60 miles a day, marketing a product that cures every disease, including poverty. 
The door-to-door herbal pharmacist advertises his product by word of mouth. He has nothing to do with the Food and Drugs Board (FDB). After all, his concoctions do not feature on FM stations.
Those herbalists who cannot walk to propagate the herbal gospel, liaise with drivers of mass transportation and their mates. They are, therefore, given the chance to sell their products on Benz buses that ply the routes.
Normally, the herbalist starts his sales message with a prayer and Bible study. He asks the passengers to bow down their heads in supplication to God the father, the son, the Holy Spirit.
When a herbalist asks the passengers to close their eyes and bow their heads, Moslems on board naturally feel offended. They feel that the herbalist has no right to assume that every passenger is a Christian. They think such an assumption is an affront to Islam.
So a Moslem on board will raise the hand for a point of order. He’ll remind the herbalist that it would be in his own interest to mind his language.
“Be careful the way you address people in a public place. Not every person here is a Christian,” he’d state assertively.
Of course, the herbalist will promptly ignore him, but would all the same “watch” his tongue. Who knows whether or not the Moslem brother is inspired by Quoranic zeal to defend the tenets of Islam to the hilt?
When he starts saying, “Wallahi!” and “Inshallah!” it could be the beginning of proclaiming Islam as supreme, a point which must be driven home with talibanic precision.
So the herbalist must tread carefully lest he steps on fire.
The herbalist could even add a measure of mirth to it all, by announcing that Christians on board today have very interesting company on the journey, but that should not detract from the business of the day.
The Moslem brother will weigh the words carefully and offer a wry smile.
He must be careful the occasion does not degenerate into the use of semantics and proverbial oration to deride his conviction that public utterances must be mindful of religious sensibilities. He has made his point very clear and expects that it is taken in good faith in the interest of a peaceful journey.
The herbalist will now open the New Testament and preach salvation, stating clearly that salvation can come only through Jesus Christ and NOBODY else.
The Moslem brother will now start twitching his moustache. The visible and almost revolutionary reflexes of his upper lip can be an indication that sentiments have begun superseding reason, and the outcome could well be tragic now shift uneasily in his seat.
The time has come for him to also express his right to the religion of his fore-bears. He’ll put his hand into his pocket and rise to his feet. The time has indeed come!
This article was first published on Saturday, September 9, 2006
When the cause of a particular problem like sickness, disease, sudden illness, a social issue etc. are not known, it stands to reason that resolving it becomes a huge challenge.
Citizens would understand the government when public announcements are made to the effect that government is trying to find a solution to the issue, even though it is taking a while for it to be resolved because citizens are rational beings.
On the other hand, if the solution to a particular issue is known to everybody but the government for whatever reason, is dragging its feet in resolving it, citizens become frustrated and begin to lose trust in their leaders.
One such issue is the heavy traffic along a section of the Kasoa – Odokor road. A short stretch of bad road between the traffic light at the Weija Government Hospital and the entrance to the entrance of the overhead that leads to the N1, is the cause of the problem but nothing is being done about it, day after day, week after week, month after month. Thus is clearly unacceptable.
Another issue that requires urgent attention is the lack of pavements along a lot of streets in parts of the various Municipal Assemblies. Exercise is a prerequisite for long life and healthy living and for those of us who it has become a way of life, this issue of people putting up structures right to the edge of the drains beside the roads, are making life difficult for us.
We are compelled to walk along the roads, putting our lives at serious risk. Pedestrians should never be compelled to compete with vehicles on our streets and roads. Roads and streets are made for vehicles and pavements are made for pedestrians. That is the norm. Any attempt to normalise a situation where pedestrians are mingling with vehicles is insanity.
It is the road regulations that makes it so and therefore district or municipal assemblies are to take responsibility and ensure that spaces for pavements are not encroached upon. Citizens have rights that must be protected by their leaders and making pavements available to pedestrians, is one of them.
When we hear of teachers having sex with students, it appears it is something recent. It is not a new phenomenon. It has been there since Adam. Perhaps this issue is getting much attention due to the proliferation of social media. It was an open secret in times past when Teachers were in relationships with female students and some married them immediately after completion of school.
Some teachers were also known to be having unholy interactions with female pupils but due to the times that these acts occurred, human rights issues and the awareness around it, allowed such unscrupulous teachers to get away with their crimes.
Now we are in a different era and so a Headmaster is now in hot waters. He is alleged to have raped about 19 female students and as usual, some officials tried to cover it up and are also in hot waters and their actions or inactions in the matter are under investigation.
Why the man has been allowed to roam freely without being arrested is simply mind boggling. It appears that the law applies differently, depending on who you are. This issue came to public attention sometime in August this year, yet the police had not arrested or invited this man for question regarding the rape allegation.
It has come out that he is a Constituency Secretary of the ruling party and the question in the public domain is that, is it because he is a political figure that is why he is still walking around without questioning? I believe in the rule of law so let us hold our breadth and let the proper thing be done.
The police must however be seen to be active in this matter. God bless.
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