"Government committed to revive GCD"- Dauda

Akwatia, June 9, GNA - Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Natural Resources, on Thursday reiterated the commitment of the government to ensure the revival of the Ghana Consolidated Diamond Limited (GCD) at Akwatia to create employment for the youth. He said the government had received some offers from investors interested in taking over the company that stopped operations 21 months ago.

GCD operations grounded to a halt as a result of financial and other technical and operational difficulties with the over 500 of its workforce sent home. Alhaji Dauda said this at separate meetings with the Akwatiahene, Osabarima Kofi Boateng 111 and workers and management of GCD. He said the background of all prospective investors would be investigated to ensure that GCD was given the right investor to bring the mining company back to life.

Alhaji Dauda said he was not happy about illegal mining on GCD concessions at Akanteng, Kobriso and other places and urged all to protect those concessions so that the company would attract good price from any investor.

He appealed to retired workers of the company who had not received their benefits to exercise restraint while efforts were being made to find a final solution to their problem. Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, said the government was fully aware of GCD problems and was determined to find a final solution to them.

He said if GCD stood on "its feet again", it would be a gain not only for Akwatia alone but for the entire region. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said mining should be a blessing and not a curse and called for measures to be put in place to ensure that mining communities benefit from operations of mining companies so that the people would not continue to live in deplorable conditions as it pertains now. Mr Anthony Adomako, Secretary of the GCD workers union, spoke of the plight of the workers who were sent home 21 months ago with empty hands and said most of them could no longer continue to pay their children's school fees and had been divorced by their wives. Mr Adomako said last year 10 of their colleagues died due to poverty while three died this year with many others threatening to commit suicide. He called fo r re-doubling of efforts to save them from further financial and social crisis as most of them were having it difficult "to put body and soul together". Osabarima Boateng accused the Divestiture Implementation Committee of delaying the divestiture process of the company and urged the government to continue to search for a reliable investor soon. He said the collapse of the company had adversely affected economic and social life in Akwatia and expressed the hope that the rejuvenation of the mines would bring improvement in the economic life of Akwatia. 19 June 09