Bolga Now Second Largest Source Of Gold

Accra, (Greater Accra) 8, October Bolgatanga is currently the second largest source of gold purchased by the Precious Minerals Marketing Corporation (PMMC) as at the end of September this year. Speaking during a visit to the corporation by the Minister of Mines and Energy, Mr Ohene Kena, the PMMC said it bought a record 30.8 per cent of its gold from small scale miners in the Upper East region who operate in the Bolgatanga district. PMMC bought about 300 million cedis of gold from the district during the period. Mr R. D Damptey, acting Managing Director, said Tarkwa in the Western Region holds the first spot with a 38.8 per cent purchase. The Bolgatanga district rose to the second place from a modest 2.8 per cent within nine months, taking over from Accra which now occupies the third spot with 30 per cent. Mr Damptey said the determination of the people in the Bolgatanga district to produce more of the product came up when the Minerals Commission declared the area a mining zone last year. He said the PMMC has placed at the disposal of gold winners in the area, all the necessary infrastructure to facilitate their work. ''The gold winners in the district are much more organised than any other group in the country at the moment''. Mr Kena commended the management and staff for their foresight and sense of dedication in managing the gold business. The minister also visited the offices of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Limited, the Ghana Bauxite and the Ghana Chamber of Mines.