The former Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Impact Analysis, Samuel Obiri has kicked against the proposed establishment of a major gold refinery within the airport enclave.
Government had earlier announced plans to establish the first state-backed refinery within the airport enclave to refine approximately 100 tonnes of gold per annum.
But Samuel Obiri has told Starr Business the refinery must be sited in a major mining area like the Western Region, as Accra is already congested.
“The Tarkwa area houses almost about six or seven mining companies, so I think we need to look at some of these issues and site it strategically close to the mining companies”, he said.
Mr Obiri believes establishing the refinery within the mining communities will improve local economic activities within those areas.
“With the threat coming from AngloGold to close down and other things, and since if you go to Tarkwa and Obuasi, most of the local economy revolves around the mining companies, and once the company folds up the local economy cripples, if you are targeting a refinery, and you put the refinery in Tarkwa, it will better serve the purpose there because it will create local economic activities there”, he added.