Tamale (Northern Region), 24th May '99 --

A seven-member US investment team is in the country to explore the possibility of reactivating the Buipe limestone project which was abandoned after the coup in 1966.

The team, led by Captain Michael Quaye (rtd), a Ghanaian living in the US, on Friday held discussions with the northern regional minister, Mr Joshua Alabi in Tamale.

Captain Quaye said the investors, who attended the African-African American Summit in Accra expressed satisfaction with the feasibility report on the project prepared by the geological survey department.

He hoped that the investors would also focus attention to other areas of interest, especially in the agricultural sector.

Mr John Brown, a member of the team said a turbine engine will be provided at the project site to boost power supply for production.

Mr Agyei Duodou, a senior geologist who accompanied the team from Accra said investigations by the geological survey department reveal that there is an initial lime deposit of 10.212 million tonnes which could last for 55 year.

He said a major attempt to mine the lime deposits, discovered since 1916, was initiated by the late President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah when he sought Russian assistance to begin exploratory works in 1964.

Another effort was made between 1987 and 1990 when the United States Agency for International Development assisted the government to undertake another feasibility studies.

The regional minister said the reactivation of the project would generate employment and help accelerate the development of the region.

He urged the team to look at other areas for investment, especially agriculture and agro-processing in which the region has comparative advantage.

GRi?/