GIADEC CEO Clarifies Land Dispute: 10,000 Jobs Targeted for New Aluminium Park

Accra, Ghana – The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), Reindorf Twumasi Ankrah, has moved to settle the controversy surrounding the land earmarked for Ghana's new aluminium industrial park. Speaking on Asempa FM this Monday, Mr. Ankrah asserted that the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) holds the indisputable legal title to the site, dismissing claims of a conflict with the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO).

Clarifying Land Ownership Acting under the directive of President John Dramani Mahama, Mr. Ankrah explained that the land acquisition dates back to a 1954 Executive Instrument, predating VALCO’s establishment. He noted that while VALCO previously leased the land, their request for renewal in 2017 resulted in them retaining only the portion housing their plant. The surplus land was formally repossessed by TDC and subsequently allocated to GIADEC for the industrial park.

"There is a strong rebuttable presumption in favour of TDC’s ownership," Ankrah stated, challenging dissenting parties to provide contrary documentary evidence.

A Model for Industrial Growth The proposed park, covering between 122 and 127 hectares, is modeled after a successful industrial zone in Benin. While the Ghanaian project is smaller than Benin's massive 7,550-hectare enclave, the economic implications for West Africa are significant.

Employment Impact The primary goal of the project is job creation. Mr. Ankrah announced that the park is projected to generate at least 10,000 direct jobs, specifically targeting youth aged 20 to 35. This initiative represents a strategic shift towards value-added processing in Ghana’s mineral sector, moving beyond the export of raw bauxite.

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Preparatory work is already underway following a site inspection by GIADEC and TDC leadership last Sunday. DISCLAIMER: Information on this website is for general purposes only. Views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect our official position. We are not liable for actions based on content.