The government has committed to providing the necessary funds to finalize the first major foundry and machine tooling centre at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) within the next four to five months.
According to the Minister of Environment, Science, and Technology, Murtala Mohammed, the project is 95% complete and requires approximately GHC 300 million to become fully operational.
Once completed, the facility is expected to significantly reduce the local manufacturing sector’s reliance on imported basic tools, as well as support the vehicle spare parts industry.
During a recent working visit to several facilities, including GAEC under the Ministry the sector minister expressed confidence that the project would be completed before the end of the first half of the year.
“The last facility we visited is the foundry. If you look at the basic tools used by all domestic industries, we currently import them. The purpose of establishing the foundry is to produce these basic tools and nuts locally. Our colleagues in Abossey Okai, for example, will be able to buy directly from the foundry. It’s 95% complete, and we need just under GHC 300 million to finish it and make it operational. All the machinery is already in place, and I assure you that it will be included in the next budget. I have no doubt that the government and the Ministry of Finance will approve it,” he stated.
The Minister also emphasised the need for a policy framework that would enable health centres to collaborate with GAEC, boosting its revenue.
“Hospitals across the country are spending huge amounts of money on basic items that GAEC has the capacity to produce. My understanding is that only a few government hospitals are currently receiving such services from you and your agencies. We need to advocate for you. A policy directive from the government instructing all health facilities to work with you would be a major revenue source,” he added.
Source: Citi Newsroom