Lands minister inspects construction works on new Minerals Commission office in Ashanti

A new office complex being constructed by the Minerals Commission in the Ashanti Region is nearing completion, with expectations high that the eight-story building will be ready for commissioning by October 2024.

This assurance was given by the Project Consultant, Osei Tutu, when the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor visited the site to inspect the progress of work on the facility on Monday, May 27, 2024.

The Lands Minister embarked on an inspection tour of the facility to acquaint himself with the progress of work on the office complex, which, when completed, will become the hub for the Minerals Commission's regulatory and oversight activities in the Ashanti Region and the middle belt of Ghana.

Addressing the press after his tour, Mr Samuel A. Jinapor underscored the importance of a fully operational and well-staffed Minerals Commission office in executing their regulatory duties, not only in the Ashanti Region but across the entire middle belt of the country, which includes the Western North and Central Regions.

The Minister stated that the government has been on the path to completely decentralise the Minerals Commission, and the construction of the Ashanti Regional Minerals Commission office is evidence of the government's commitment and dedication to developing the mining sector.

“I have to commend the CEO of the Minerals Commission, the consultants, the contractors, and everyone who has worked so diligently to ensure that we put up this extraordinary office for the Ashanti Regional Minerals Commission. If we are going to come to grips with mining, particularly large-scale mining, which contributes significantly to the national economy, as well as small-scale mining, then the Minerals Commission must have the requisite structure, personnel, and operational capacity to regulate the mining sector. This government has taken the initiative to ensure that the regulation of mining activities is decentralized, and we are on course”, he said.

"This is a major investment by the government of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. I have been told that it is going to be the tallest building in Kumasi. It will be a place where we can conduct rigorous investigations of the mining sector and the products of the mining sector in the country”, he added.

"The contractors have given us the assurance that it will be handed over to the government by the end of September, and I’m going to hold them to it. I will be knocking on the doors of Manhyia to seek the concurrence of His Royal Majesty Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu, to commission this project in the first week of October," he said. 

The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Martin Kwaku Ayisi, disclosed that the project was initially estimated to cost GH₵80 million and that the commission already has plans to let out some offices in the edifice to generate revenue.

Mr. Martin Ayisi also elaborated on the maintenance plan crafted by the commission, assuring that the facility will bring in significant benefits for the commission.

Mr. Osei Tutu, the consultant, expressed confidence that the project, which is 71% complete, will be ready by the end of September 2024.

Breaking down the completion rate, Mr. Osei Tutu said, “Preliminaries are at 60%, the soft structure for the main building is 100%, the ground floor for the main building is at 63%, but the overall progress of work for the seven-story is at 63%. We have the laboratory and main block. The laboratory and main block are about 71% complete, so cumulatively, we are about 71%.”

Since 2021 the Minerals Commission has embarked on a massive infrastructural development drive nationwide, which has seen a number of edifice being constructed across ten (10) mining regions as part of decentralization drive to bring the services of the commission to the door step of all Stakeholders and also help in governments quest to among others streamline the operations of the mining sector.