Tema, Oct 21, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday commended the Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO) for its role in helping to realise Dr Kwame Nkrumah's dream to establish an integrated aluminium industry, comprising a bauxite mine, a refinery and a smelter. President Kufuor, who made the commendation during a second informal visit to the company in two months, noted that the re-activation of VALCO was in line with government's vision to revive the dream of Dr Nkrumah of blessed memory.

He repeated the call on management and workers of the company to see the re-activation as the cornerstone of the nation's economic take-off and to put in their maximum to ensure its success. President Kufuor told workers of VALCO that Ghanaians were glad in celebrating their initial success of producing molten aluminium. He commended VALCO for rescuing Aluworks from the doldrums with the supply of its aluminium needs.

The President assured the company that once it had installed the aluminium plant, other installations would follow, thus resulting in VALCO's entry into the export market to earn enough foreign exchange for the nation.

Mr Seth Adjei, Managing Director of VALCO, noted that sufficient and reliable power supply was crucial to the company's continued operations, adding, "It is good for Ghana to support VALCO with power to be converted into value-added aluminium."

Mr Adjei said, so far, a total of 1,750.7 metric tonnes of aluminium had been tapped, out of which 1,686.9 metric tonnes had been sold to Aluworks.

He was optimistic that the continued operations of VALCO would provide the base load for a viable West Africa Gas Pipe Line Project, which would become fully operational by the end of next year. Mr Adjei earlier conducted President Kufuor round the Cell Lines and the Cast House.

At the Cast House, where metal products were being dealt with, the President poured metal, and before leaving VALCO, he was presented with a plaque to show its appreciation for his concern in helping to resuscitate the company by breathing a new lease of life into it.