Mills Calls For Peace

Mills being assisted by MD to plant a commemorative tree PRESIDENT JOHN Evans Atta Mills has stated that an area, which is characterized by constant violence, seizes to develop, calling on the chiefs and people of Buipe to embrace peace for development. Violence, he noted, had scared investors out of the area, despite the investment potential and advised residents to peacefully coexist to attract investors to open up their towns and villages to the outside and business world. President Mills, who made these remarks at sod a cutting ceremony for the commencement of work at the Savanna Cement Company Limited (SAVACEM) in Buipe in the Central Gonja District, expressed hope that the presence of the company would provide jobs for the youth in the area. He disclosed that it was the desire of his administration to create the enabling environment for investors in the country to create jobs for the country’s youth and appealed to the people of Buipe to give the company the needed support. The Minister of Lands and Forestry, Collins Dawda said his outfit was informed about limestone deposits in other parts of the country, adding that plans were far advanced to exploit the minerals to increase Ghana’s export. He blamed the north-south migration of the youth on mining, indicating that the discovery of minerals in the north would reverse the negative trend. Hon. Dawda revealed that government placed premium on local projects, disclosing that about 1 million metric tons per annum of cement was required by the country. This, he noted, was going to receive a boost with the coming of SAVACEM, explaining that cement products would become affordable for the people in the northern part of the country. The minister further mentioned that the limestone deposits at the Yakumbo forest reserve had also been given to the company for exploration. He however appealed to SAVACEM to adopt environmentally friendly measures in mining the limestone and to initiate corporate social responsibility programmes to develop Buipe. The Managing Director of SAVACEM, Motaparti Prasad said the company was formed in 1996 but was confronted with numerous challenges including frustrations by its competitors. In 2007, the company partnered Diamond Cement (Ghana), a sister organization, to establish the project in the area. Mr. Motaparti said the cement plant would use modern equipment that were capable of producing 350,000 tons per annum with a potential of employing 200 persons directly and about 800 indirectly. The Managing Director expressed worry about the power supply in the area, adding, “Power in the area is inadequate but talks between us and VRA are underway to generate 25 MVA power out of which the company would take 7MVA and the remaining would be given to the region.” He reiterated his outfit commitment in providing portable drinking water and assisting government’ efforts, noting that this could only be done after the project had successfully taken off. He thanked the Mines Commission, Ministry of Lands and Forestry and the Chiefs and people of Buipe for their support to the company. Source: Daily Guide