The Media Coalition for Development-Adansi today issued a call to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) to reconsider the decision to build a gold refinery in Accra. Instead, we strongly advocate for locating the refinery to Obuasi, given the region’s rich gold deposits and existing mining activities.
Our region, Ashanti, is home to several major gold mines, including Asanko Gold Mine, Perseus Mining (Ghana) Ltd, AngloGold Ashanti, and is in close proximity to other significant gold-producing areas such as Tarkwa, Bogoso, Prestea, and Akrokerri. Building the gold refinery in Obuasi would offer numerous benefits, including reduced transportation costs, creation of jobs for local residents, and stimulation of economic growth in the region.
We believe that locating the refinery in Accra would not only deprive our region of potential economic benefits but also increase the operational costs of the refinery due to transportation costs from our region to Accra.
Moreover, it would be a missed opportunity for our communities to directly benefit from the value-added gold industry.
We urge the CEO of Ghana Gold Board to prioritize the development of our region and reconsider the location of the gold refinery. We are confident that building the refinery in Obuasi would be a strategic decision that would contribute to the growth and development of our communities.