“Connecting Investors, Innovators, and Industry Leaders: 2024 Obuasi Mining Expo”
Key stakeholders in the mining sector value chain across the country met at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region to deliberate on how to reposition the mining support services in a bid to strengthen local content in the mining industry.
The event, which was the fifth in a series was under the auspices of the Ghana chamber of Mines with the support from AngloGold Ashanti , Obuasi Mine, Mac Mining and construction partners limited among others.It was held under the theme ” repurposing local content for economic transformation”.
The Expo gave stakeholders opportunity to interact to find appropriate means to strengthen the operations of local businesses in the mining space.
To industry players, strengthening the local content regulation will empower local businesses to compete favorably with their foreign counterparts.
Honorable Elijah Adansi-Bonah the Chief Executive for the Obuasi Municipal Assembly described the theme for the event as apt stressing that it was in tandem with ongoing efforts to transform the local economy to ensure that Ghanaians benefit meaningfully from the wealth created through natural resources.
He said the participation of Ghanaian owned businesses in the mining value chain is critical in the survival of Obuasi as a mining town.
“Our goal is to accelerate progress and ensure that Obuasi benefits from years of commercial mining. Recognizing the contributions of mining support services in the whole mining sector set up, we believe that strengthening the local content regulation will bode well for the development of our town”.
Suleman Koney, the CEO of the Ghana chamber of Mines speaking about the rationale behind the Expo said industrial procurement is complex hence the need to expand the scope to include wide range of professionals who may invariably be a part of decision making unit to have a conversation.
He said it was the job of of the Chamber of mines to address the challenges suppliers face . He said structures around local content regulation must be improved just like how it works in other countries.
Mr. Koney said the chamber has a memorandum of understanding with the Ghana Standards Authority as the regulator to validate inputs of suppliers including electrical inputs . ” The idea is to make sure that the real value of mining stays in the country and not only employment”.
Awie Frey, Head of operations at AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine mentioned that it was important to recognize the evolution in the mining industry which is driven by technological advancement.
He said the support services play critical role in achieving the objectives of the mining industry especially at AngloGold Ashanti, as a backbone of their operations. He said they provide expertise and resources to maximize efficiencies.
Seth Quaye Chief operating officer of Mac partners Group LLC in an interview said such platforms like the mining industry marketing expo gives players in the industry the opportunity to interact with other stakeholders to identify the right approaches to deal with their challenges in the sector.
He said regulators, apart from guiding local companies on compliance issues also have a role to play in making sure that everybody within the mining support services space benefit equally in the country.
