VALCO is Ghana’s national aluminium smelter located in Tema
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that plans are far advanced to transfer the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) back to the Ministry by the end of 2026.
The move is expected to strengthen collaboration between VALCO and the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), with the aim of unlocking the full potential of Ghana’s aluminium industry as a key driver of national transformation.
The sector minister made the disclosure while addressing a retreat for agencies under the Ministry in Ellembelle in the Western Region.
GIADEC secures strategic investors for VALCO modernisation and alumina refinery project
Armah-Kofi Buah explained that placing VALCO under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources will ensure better policy alignment, as the company works directly with GIADEC on the country’s integrated aluminium development agenda.
He noted that although VALCO was previously placed under the Ministry of Energy, steps are being taken to return it to what he described as its “natural home” to enhance operational efficiency.
“VALCO somehow when we started the year was under the Ministry of Energy, but it is being brought back to where it belongs, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources. VALCO directly works with GIADEC. Very soon we will stop talking about gold and be talking about the iron and steel industry,” he said.
The minister further assured mining and host communities that a revitalised VALCO, working through GIADEC and the Ghana Integrated Steel Development Corporation (GISDEC), will deliver meaningful socio-economic benefits to local communities and the country at large.
He added that Ghana’s development focus will gradually shift beyond gold, stressing that the iron, steel, and aluminium industries will play a central role in the country’s future industrial growth.
SO/MA
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