... UNABLE TO SUPPLY WORLD MARKET DEMANDS
....SENDS MORE EMPLOYEES HOME
The Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), a subsidiary of Kaiser Aluminium of the United States of America (USA), has found itself in a tight position, primarily because the Volta River Authority (VRA) is unable to provide the power needed to run the smelter plant at Tema.
Out of 400 pots, the company is now operating only 100 pots. Reports gathered have it that the total world demand for aluminium stands at six million metric tonnes and out of this, Europe and America supply four million tonnes with the remaining two million tonnes coming from Africa, specifically Mozambique, South Africa and Ghana (VALCO).
Orders received by the Ghanaian smelter recently could not be delivered because there was not sufficient power from the Volta Dam. Information filtering through from the plant says that it is unable to supply major local consumers such as ALUWORKS and, in fact, the roofing sheet factory is now contemplating importing its raw materials. At present, VALCO cannot provide ALUWORKS with hot metal.

Last Friday, management of VALCO laid off 65 workers, mainly from cast house and maintenance department, reducing the workforce to only 350. Sources close to the plant hinted that, if things continue as they are, the plant will finally drop to Zero Operation and that means the only required labour is also going to reduce to 270, to be made up of security personnel and essential staff.

VALCO may resume full operation in November when the dam is expected to store enough water to generate electricity. The water level over the weekend stood at 239.5 feet as against 248 feet being the minimum operation level.

The VRA over the past one year compelled VALCO to reduce its pot lines from four to only one. At full strength two years ago, 1,600 persons were in the employment of the aluminium smelter.