By Deborah Asantewaah SARFO
The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has announced plans to complete the foundry and machine tooling centre in the next four to five months.
According to the minister, the facility – located within the premises of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) – is about 95 percent complete and needs a little below GH¢300million to complete.
“It is my expectation that within the next four to five months, we should have it fully operational,” he said.
He made this known after his familiarisation tour to the GAEC, expressing optimism in getting approval from the government and the Minister of Finance to make the facility operational; and further assured directors of the commission to factor the facility into the government’s first budget.
Mr. Mohammed indicated that completion of the foundry would facilitate the production of basic tools in the country that would be readily accessible to traders at Abossey Okai to purchase.
The facility is an initiative of the erstwhile government under the Ghana Cares (Obaatanpa) Project, to advance local manufacturing capabilities.
Having been informed about the works of the various institutions of GAEC, he noted: “I didn’t know that you have the potential to help salvage the economic challenges confronting us as a state”, specifically in agriculture, water production, health, among others.
“I was particularly thrilled when we went to the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI),” he noted, emphasising the institution’s potential to reduce the country’s spending on the importation of rice and poultry products.
As a result, he assured them of serving as a messenger to sell the story of GAEC to citizens and the President, adding that more would be achieved when institutions work together as against the usual way of executing jobs in silos.
Focusing on how he intends to work in the ministry, he assured them of allowing all institutions to demonstrate their full potential as far as it is in sync with the vision and the policy direction of the President, emphasising: “I don’t have biases against anybody or any agency”.
On the subject of waste management, he reiterated his intentions to de-monopolise and broaden it to include local authorities and engage SMEs in the management of waste in this country.
According to him, this approach will create jobs, improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the sector and serve as an avenue to create value for money.
“For you to be efficient, you must ensure you insulate monopoly. Monopoly doesn’t create efficiency. Competition is a brilliant ground for efficiency, effectiveness, and where you would have value for money.”
The tour to GAEC marks the minister’s second familiarisation visit to agencies under the ministry since his appointment.
