Ghana holds one billion tonnes of bauxite at Awaso, Nyinahin – Ato Forson

Ghana has an estimated one billion tonnes of bauxite deposits at Awaso and Nyinahin, with government seeking to unlock the country’s mineral wealth through improved infrastructure and local processing.

Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson disclosed this while presenting the 2027 Budget Statement to Parliament, describing the deposits as a major economic asset with the potential to support industrialisation and create jobs.

“Ghana holds an estimated 1 billion tonnes of bauxite at Awaso and Nyinahin,” he told Parliament.

He said the deposits represented enormous economic opportunities but stressed that their development required critical infrastructure, particularly railway connectivity and reliable energy supply.

Dr. Forson noted that Ghana had for decades struggled to fully exploit its bauxite resources because of inadequate rail infrastructure, leaving significant mineral deposits untapped.

He said the proposed Western Corridor Railway would help address this challenge by connecting Takoradi through Nsuta and Awaso to Nyinahin, facilitating the transportation of mineral resources.

The railway project is expected to improve access to the bauxite deposits and support government’s ambition to develop an integrated aluminium industry.

Government is also pursuing plans to strengthen local processing capacity to ensure that more value is retained within the country rather than exporting raw minerals.

The Finance Minister said the broader objective was to use Ghana’s natural resource wealth to support industrial development, expand economic opportunities and generate employment.

The plans form part of government’s efforts to address structural weaknesses in the economy by promoting domestic production and value addition.