Three companies shortlisted for GCD

9/11/2010

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
TWO local companies and a foreign one have been shortlisted for the acquisition and rehabilitation of the Ghana Consolidated Diamonds Limited (GCD) at Akwatia in the Eastern Region.
According to the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), the three companies were selected from seven, which submitted bids for GCD.
The Technical Director in-charge of Mines at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Paul Atigla, told the Daily Graphic that the committee had done effective evaluation before arriving at the three companies.
He, however, declined to give the names of the companies, insisting that giving out the names could have an influence on the process which is not complete yet.
Mr Atigla said the committee would be looking at the technical capacity, financial strength and past record of the companies in the mining sector.
He said with the completion of the evaluation, the process of the divestiture of the GCD was almost complete.
Mr Atigla did not say when the announcement of the winning company would be made, but indicated that it would be very soon.
GCD, the nation's only large scale diamond mine, has since 2007, closed down its operations, leading to the redundancy of about 807 workers.
The collapse of the GCD has affected socio-economic activities of the people of Akwatia, as the town has become a shadow of its past.
The people have been calling on the government to find a way of revamping the company to bring life back to the town.