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GIADEC, Mytilineos S.A. sign alumina refinery pact

By
MAXWELL OFORI
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The Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) has signed an agreement with Mytilineos Energy and Metals to develop a mine at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso and construct an alumina refinery.

The Nyinahin-Mpasaaso deal will deliver Project 3A, one of four projects being executed in the Integrated Aluminium Industry IAI).

The signing ceremony occurred on Friday, January 26, 2024 in Accra, an event which was witnessed by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor.

President Akufo-Addo, in his address, stressed that the execution of Project 3A will put an end to decades of exporting raw bauxite from the country.

The new era, he said, would be to refine bauxite mined in Ghana to produce alumina that will feed the VALCO smelter.

“We have mined and exported bauxite in its raw form since the 1940s and have never achieved the goal of value addition or integration despite considerable efforts made by successive governments. I am proud of the progress GIADEC has made since its inception under the leadership of Mr. Michael Ansah, working to leverage on 900 million metric tonnes of bauxite and other holdings including the 100% ownership of VALCO to deliver the Integrated Aluminium Industry in Ghana.” he said.

The President commended the Board, Management and Staff of GIADEC for what he described as tremendous work at ensuring that the missing link in Ghana’s aluminium industry, an alumina refinery was finally going to be established.

He urged GIADEC to continue to drive integration of the bauxite–aluminium value chain by ensuring that all aspects of the value chain are developed.

President Akuo-Addo emphasised that the selection of a credible and leading global metallurgy and energy Company, Mytilineos S.A as GIADEC’s partner on Project 3A will pave the way for more investments from other global giants in the Integrated Aluminium Industry.

CHARGE

President Akufo-Addo charged GIADEC and its strategic partners to continue to uphold world-class environmental standards in their operations.

He attested to the “unwavering commitment” of GIADEC to world-class environmental standards, stating that it informed their choice for the selected partner for Project 3A.

He, as such, told government and the relevant state agencies to ensure the strictest adherence and commitment to all the national and global environmental and social performance standards” he added.

RIGHT INVESTMENT

Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, in his remarks noted that government will continue to create the right investment climate for businesses to thrive.

He added that the government would provide the needed support towards the development of a fully functional Integrated Aluminium Industry in Ghana.

Chief Executive Officer of GIADEC, Mr. Michael Ansah on his part emphasised that the execution of Project 3A and all other projects under the Integrated Aluminium Industry is a game-changer and will contribute significantly to the Ghanaian economy.

Mr. Ansah said “GIADEC’s absolute requirement for Project 3A, and the approach presented by our partner, focuses on value addition, as well as the social benefits that will accrue through the creation of over 1,500 jobs over time. We shall ensure collaboration with local subcontractors, prioritise local talent and provide training programmes to align with cultural and environmental considerations”.

Mr. Ansah further stressed that Mytilineos S.A will be required to, first, undertake a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) to validate and define the bauxite resources before the construction of a mine and a refinery.

PARTNERSHIP

In a statement, Chief Strategy and M&A Officer at MYTILINEOS Energy & Metals, Elenos Karaindros, noted that MYTILINEOS has been a longstanding partner in Ghana; leveraging the country’s extensive experience in numerous power projects.

“We have gained a robust and unique understanding of the country’s energy sector, as well as its people and local environment.

“Today, we are pleased to embark on the next chapter of this enduring collaboration. As the operator of the European Union’s exclusive vertically integrated aluminum complex, MYTILINEOS brings comprehensive expertise across the entire value chain. More importantly, we prioritise creating value that benefits all partners involved in every project,” he stated.

Actor Yul Edochie reveals how he got called into ministry

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Yul Edochie

Nollywood Actor Yul Edochie has revealed that he has always felt the call to be a man of God; however, it was not until his near-fatal accident in 2019 that he was compelled to answer that call.

At his inaugural broadcast since declaring his ministry, Yul Edochie shared details of the incident, which he said occurred as he was driving from Lagos to a film set in Enugu.

He recounted losing control of his car, attempting to avoid an accident, and ultimately somersaulting, resulting in the loss of consciousness.

Before blacking out, Yul Edochie said he saw his life flash before him, stating, “I believe that on that day I died.”

The actor added, “I heard a voice; it said, ‘It’s all over. If you wanted to do anything, you can’t do it anymore,’ and then I blacked out.” Miraculously, he woke up in the mangled car and emerged unharmed with no visible injuries.

In the evening, Yul Edochie said he heard a voice telling him that he was destined to be a minister of God, emphasising that his second life was not a second chance but an opportunity to work for God.

“It said to me that my first life was gone, ‘Your first life was about you, everything you asked God for it’s been given to you, this second life is for you to work for God’,” the actor said.

Despite this message, Yul Edochie said he did not hastily embark on starting a ministry at the time as other priorities took precedence.

He noted that he believed that was not the right time stating “When the right time comes you would know.”

This comes after Yul Edochie, last week, revealed he will be starting his own ministry, in answer to God’s call to do His work.

Taking to his social media pages on Tuesday, the actor unveiled True Salvation Ministry, stating that a church service will be held for an hour every Sunday.

I never got credit for writing songs for Osibisa –Tumi Ebow Ansa

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Tumi Ebow Ansa

Tumi Ebow Ansa, a veteran Ghanaian musician, has disclosed that he is the original composer of Osibisa’s ‘Welcome Home’ and four other songs released by the Afro-rock band but he has never been credited for his works.

Speaking in an interview with Mutombo the Poet on the ‘If More, Let’s Divide’ podcast, Tumi, also an actor, said working with Osibisa was an experience he usually shudders to talk about.

“You know, Osibisa is an area that I really don’t feel comfortable.

Because I was in an experience that I had never seen before. I was young, I was very eager, I was free because I was on TV, films and the music too so when Osibisa came and out of the blue picked me up and took me to Tunisia, it was an adventure. I thought, fine. But we didn’t have a song between us. When we arrived there we had to go for audition. It was my song that we rehearsed quickly to go and get a job,” he said.

He disclosed that he wrote songs like ‘Welcome Home’, ‘Woyaya’, ‘Oranges’, and ‘The Dawn.’

Tumi also said that he was playing with his band called Afro Deity before Osibisa came for him, but he didn’t know they had an ulterior motive for recruiting him into the band.

Credit: myjoyonline.com

 

Anita Akuffo shares how she chose career over boyfriend

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Anita Akuffo

As part of pursing a career in media, Anita Akuffo had a masterplan of participating in a beauty pageant which will ultimately end her on the screens.

In a relationship then in her second year in the University, she discussed this idea of the beauty pageant with her then boyfriend who was strongly against it.

The TV3 Entertainment News Anchor was left with the option of choosing between the relationship or her career. Anita Akuffo said on Instagram Stories that she declared that Miss Malaika would be the perfect method for her to fulfil her dream of working on television as she had always dreamed of working on television.

However, her partner was adamantly against the idea when they had a discussion. She went on to list all the advantages of competing in the pageant but the partner still was against it. Anita eventually chose her career and went on to try out for the Miss Malaika Pageant.

Anita shared a moral lesson in her story by telling young ladies to surround themselves with dream-supporters.

Anita Akuffo is a Ghanaian model and TV presenter. Anita Akua Akuffo came out as the second runner-up at Miss ECOWAS 2012 and also made it as a Miss Malaika finalist.

 

Nominations opened for 25th Ghana Music Awards

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Black Sherif, Reigning Artiste of the year

Artistes, music executives, instrumentalists, composers, and all music industry stakeholders can submit their musical works for nomination in the 25th Ghana Music Awards.

The organisers of the prestigious awards scheme, Charterhouse, are receiving the nominations till February 29, 2024.

Works should be submitted via the Ghana Music Awards website www.entry.ghanamusicawards.com. These songs should have been released from January 1 to December 31, 2024.

Being the 25th anniversary celebration of the awards scheme, it is expected to come with a lot of pomp, pageantry, splendour and a lot of surprises.

The Ghana Music Awards, for the past 25 years has consistently celebrated the efforts Ghanaian music and music professionals.

Albania, Italy controversial migrant deal sparks anger

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Italy Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

Albania’s Constitutional Court on Monday approved a controversial deal signed with Italy to host two holding centres for migrants rescued in Italian waters. But the agreement has sparked anger among politicians in both countries and human rights groups who describe it as “dehumanising”.

The agreement has been condemned by opposition parties in both countries, as well as rights groups, resulting in a legal challenge taken up by the top court in Tirana.

“The agreement does not harm Albania’s territorial integrity,” the court said in a statement.

The ruling comes just days after Italian MPs voted in favour of the agreement – with the lower chamber of parliament backing the protocol by 155 votes to 115, with two abstentions.

During the parliamentary debate, opposition MPs accused Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of using migrants as “electoral propaganda”, saying the project would have little impact on numbers and was hugely costly.

The Albanian right-wing opposition has lambasted Prime Minister Edi Rama for an alleged lack of transparency over the agreement, calling the deal an “irresponsible and dangerous act for national security”.

Credit: rfi

US re-impose sanctions on Venezuela after banning presidential hopeful

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Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado

The United States has begun reimposing sanctions on Venezuela by restricting its mining sector after the South American nation’s top court upheld the disqualification of an opposition presidential hopeful.

Any US companies doing business with Venezuela’s state-owned mining concern Minerven have until February 13 to complete a “wind down of transactions” with the company, the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control said on Monday,

The US warned Venezuela at the weekend that it could end some sanctions relief granted last year when Caracas agreed to a deal for elections in 2024, including setting up a process for would-be candidates to challenge their disqualification.

On Friday, Venezuela’s Supreme Court, loyal to President Nicolas Maduro’s government, upheld a 15-year ban on opposition leader Maria Corina Machado and also confirmed the ineligibility of her possible replacement, two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.

Credit: aljazeera.com

Foreign-born residents sue Japan for racial profiling

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Matthew (left), Syed Zain and Maurice have filed a lawsuit against state and local governments

Three foreign-born residents in Japan have sued the country’s authorities over alleged racial profiling. The plaintiffs say they have suffered distress from repeated police questioning based on their appearances.

“There’s a very strong image that ‘foreigner’ equals ‘criminal’,” Pakistan-born Syed Zain told reporters. The lawsuit filed on Monday aims to confirm that racial profiling is illegal and to seek 3m yen ($20,250; £15,740) in damages for each plaintiff.

This is the first such lawsuit in Japan, according to the men’s lawyer, Motoki Taniguchi.

Mr Zain, who is a Pakistan-born Japanese citizen, has lived in Japan for two decades, went to school there and is fluent in Japanese. The 26-year-old told a press conference on Monday that he has often been stopped, questioned and searched by police.

“The time has come to rethink the way police questioning is handled.” he said.

The UN defines racial profiling as “the process by which law enforcement relies on generalisations based on one’s race, skin colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.

Credit: bbc.com

Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan jailed in state secrets case

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Pakistan Ex-PM Imran Khan

Former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan has been sentenced to 10 years in jail in a case in which he was charged with leaking state secrets.

Khan, who was ousted by his opponents as PM in 2022, is already serving a three-year jail term after being convicted of corruption.

He has called all the charges against him politically motivated.

The conviction under the secrets act comes the week before general elections in which he is barred from standing.

Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi – vice-chairman of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party – was also sentenced to 10 years in prison by the special court.

The so-called cipher case revolves around the alleged leaking of secret diplomatic correspondence sent by Pakistan’s ambassador in Washington to Islamabad when Khan was prime minister.

It relates to his appearance at a rally in March 2022, a month before he was ousted from power in a parliamentary vote of no confidence.

Credit: bbc.com

Israeli forces kill 3 Palestinian fighters in hospital raid

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Israeli forces in hospital raid

Israeli forces have killed three members of Palestinian armed groups in a hospital in the occupied West Bank. CCTV footage showed members of an undercover unit disguised as medics and other civilians making their way through a corridor with rifles raised.

The Israeli military said the men were hiding in the Jenin hospital, and that one was about to carry out an attack. The Palestinian Authority’s ministry of health accused Israel of carrying out a “new massacre inside hospitals”.

Hamas, an armed Palestinian Islamist group which is fighting a war with Israel in Gaza triggered by its unprecedented attacks on Israel on 7 October, said the Israeli forces had “executed three fighters”, including one of its members

Another armed group, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, said two of those killed were its members and were brothers. It added that one of them had been receiving treatment at the hospital.

Since 7 October, Israeli forces have killed at least 357 Palestinians – militants, civilians and attackers – in the West Bank, while Israeli settlers have killed at least eight, according to the United Nations. Palestinians from the West Bank have killed at least 10 Israelis in attacks in the West Bank and Israel in the same period.

Credit: bbc.com

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