Friday, 11th February, 2022

Page 10
The Minister for Lands
and Natural Resources,
Samuel A. Jinapor
says the Akufo-Addo
led government is
determined to revamp the
Volta Aluminum Company Ltd.
(VALCO) to help drive Ghana's
Industrialisation agenda.
The Minister said, as part
of efforts towards building a
robust and effective Aluminum
Industry in Ghana, his ministry
will in the coming weeks present
Global Media Alliance,
organizers of the
prestigious Ghana
Beverage Awards
(GBA), have officially
announced the close of
nominations for the 6th edition
the awards scheduled for March
this year.
The nominations which were
open from the 15th of December
2021 to February 7, 2022 provided
the general public and beverage
companies the avenue to select
their favourite beverages from
18 competitive categories
encompassing both local and
foreign beverages.
In all, a total of over 500
nominations were received
comprising both brand
nominations and public
nominations.
Commenting Chief Executive
Officer for Global Media Alliance,
Ernest Boateng, expressed his
appreciation to Ghanaians and
the beverage companies for
support and patronage over
the years and for constantly
availing themselves to partake
in the nomination phase which
contributed significantly
towards a successful climax.
“Over the years, we have
seen a growth in the number of
entries for this phase. This is a
clear indication that Ghanaians
and the beverage companies
in Ghana have embraced the
awards scheme. As organizers,
we are very grateful for their
immense support and for the
confidence reposed in us and we
Business
DAILY ANALYST Friday, 11th February, 2022
– Jinapor
the 'VALCO MASTERPLAN' to
cabinet for consideration.
This he believes when
given the approval, will
help to resuscitate the
operationalisation of VALCO
through the Ghana Integrated
Aluminum Development
Corporation's (GIADEC)
Integrated Aluminum Industry
(IAI) project 4, which is to
retrofit, modernize and ensure
the expansion of VALCO smelter
to improve efficiency and
capacity.
Project 4, when implemented,
according to the Sector Minister,
will increase VALCO's production
capacity from 200,000 to 300,000
tonnes of aluminum annually
and create employment
opportunities for more than 600
people.
He explained that,
equipment that have been in
use since the early 1960's will be
upgraded.
He also reiterated the vision
of President Akufo-Addo in
establishing GIADEC and the
current development the entity
is undertaking saying "GIADEC
is on course in giving VALCO a
leaf of life".
He stressed that the
development and creation of an
Aluminum Industry is one of the
major pillars for transforming
the Ghanaian economy.
"We have moved from the
vision of government in making
Ghana an Integrated Aluminum
Industry into practicalising
the goals set out and once we
get cabinet approval, we will
implement the 'Master Plan' to
attract the needed investment".
The visit by the Lands and
Natural Resources Minister
Ghana Beverage Awards: Nominations
for 2021 edition officially closed
pledge our commitment to the
growth of the beverage industry
through this means.
“Feedback from you, our
patrons, has been phenomenal
in the successes GBA has
chalked in its six year journey
and for this we are most
grateful. As always, we are open
to your input all in the spirit
of transforming the awards
scheme for the better,” he added.
An industry first and being
organized under the theme,
“Inspiring Excellence in Ghana’s
Beverage Industry,” GBA seeks
to promote both local and
foreign beverages as well as
the participation of small-scale
beverage enterprises in the
awards scheme. With time, the
award scheme has proven itself
a tool for the promotion of best
practices within the beverage
industry whiles cementing its
position as the bench mark for
identifying beverage companies
that are in touch with their
markets and contributing
significantly to the Ghanaian
economy.
In a lead up to this year’s
awards, a beverage industry tour
will be organized in February
for the GBA board to visit
all nominated industries to
familiarize with their work and
practices.
Also, there would be
the institution of Beverage
Segments across selected media
platforms as a way of exciting
the public ahead of the main
event whiles promoting our
local beverages & enhancing the
knowledge of the public about
their favourite beverages.
Ghana Beverage Awards (GBA
is proudly supported by the
Food and Beverage Association
of Ghana (FABAG), Consumer
Protection Agency (CPA), Food
Research Institute (FRI) under
CSI, Perception Management
International (PMI), Ghana
Tourism Authority (GTA),
Ministry of Trade & Industry
and Ministry of Tourism, Arts
& Culture. It is partnered by
Neesim FM Bolga, Neesim
FM Tamale Akonoba FM, Citi
FM, Happy FM, YFM, and e.TV,
Ghanaweb, Daily Guide and
Business and Financial Times on
the media front.
Ernest Boateng
on Wednesday, 9th February
2022, according to VALCO
Management is the first time
ever a minister of state has
visited the facility since the
coming into power of the Akufo-
Addo led government.
The visit also afforded the
Minister an opportunity to
interact with the Board and
Management of the facility
and to reassure them of
government's commitment to
assist VALCO to bounce back and
operate at it optimum level.
The CEO of GIADEC, Mr.
Michael Ansah pointed out that
his outfit is working closely with
VALCO to ensure the realisation
and execution of project 4 of the
Integrated Aluminum Industry
(IAI) adding that GIADEC has the
mandate to develop and promote
an Integrated Aluminum
company in Ghana.
He further explained that
GIADEC will require $6 billion
to successfully execute the 4 key
project under the Integrated
Aluminum Industry (IAI)
Voltic (GH) Limited, a
subsidiary of Coca-
Cola Beverages Africa,
has named Flora Jika
as its new Managing
Director.
Flora has been with the Coke
business for 14 years and began
her career in the coal mining
industry, being the first female
mining engineering graduate at
Anglo Coal. She joined the Coca-
Cola business in 2008 with her
first role being a depot manager.
Having risen through the ranks,
her knowledge and expertise cut
across engineering, supply chain,
logistics, and marketing.
Until recently, Flora was the
Logistics Director at Coca-Cola
Beverages Africa, South Africa.
In a brief address, Ms. Jika
said: “I am delighted to join Voltic
and this he said GIADEC is
determined to work with other
stakeholders to achieve.
The CEO of VALCO, Dan
Acheampong, who gave an
overview of the company's
operations said VALCO is the
largest smelter in West Africa
and the 4th in Sub Sahara Africa.
He, however, hoped that with
the right investment and the
needed capital injection, the
entity will take its rightful place
in the Aluminum industry.
VALCO, a wholly owned
Ghanaian asset remains a
strategic and a major corner
stone of the Integrated
Aluminum Industry (IAI) in
Ghana.
GIADEC and VALCO are
currently working to give
practical meaning to the
government's transformational
agenda by leveraging on Ghana's
existing bauxite reserves and
the smelting of Aluminum to
make the Ghanaian economy an
enviable one.
Voltic (GH) Limited has a
new Managing Director
at this time and I look forward to
building a success story with the
team.”
Flora Jika replaces Simon
Everest as MD of Voltic. She is
a member of WUMEA (Wits
University Mining Engineers
Association) and SAIMM (South
African Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy). She holds
an undergraduate and a postgraduate
degree in Mining
Engineering and Industrial
Engineering fields respectively,
from Wits University.
Commenting on the new
appointment, MD, CCBA Central
Africa, Conrad van Niekerk said:
“We are delighted to welcome
Flora to the Voltic family and
wish her the best as she steers the
business into sustainable growth
and profitability.”