SAVANNA CEMENT TO START PRODUCTION NEXT YEAR (BACK PAGE)

THE Savanna Cement Company Limited (SAVACEM), located at Buipe in the Central Gonja District in the Northern Region, is to begin the production of cement by June, next year.
The $40-million project would produce 20,000 bags of cement daily when completed.
The General Manager of SAVACEM, Mr Srinivasa Rao, made this known to newsmen at Buipe, when he conducted the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Steven Sumani Nayina, round the site.
Currently, the construction of the building to house the equipment is ongoing, while a number of accommodation units, 10-unit bedroom houses for both senior and junior staff of the company, as well as a VIP guest house, have been completed.
The project, being funded by SAVACEM and the Diamond Cement Factory at Aflao in the Volta Region, began in January, this year, and would employ 500 workers when the factory begins production.
Mr Rao said additionally, SAVACEM had set aside $3 million for the installation of a sub-station to supply seven megawatts of power to enable the factory to operate efficiently.
He added that the Volta River Authority (VRA) was facilitating the provision of the facility, since the current power supply in the area could not support the production.
Mr Rao explained that the sub-station would ultimately create a congenial atmosphere for other companies to invest in the area.
He said the necessary machinery, such as mining equipment, cement, raw and coal mills, grate coolers, crushers and compressors were in place for production upon the completion of the project.
According to the manager, the factory would make use of 19.52 million tonnes of limestone out of the total reserves of 34 million tonnes as raw materials for cement production.
Mr Nayina, for his part, said he was “highly impressed” about the progress of work so far and observed that when the project was completed, it would create employment opportunities and enhance income levels for the local people.
“I must admit that this would be the very first viable factory in the Northern Region; I must, therefore, warn residents against any acts of lawlessness that would thwart the efforts of investors and scare them away,” he stressed.