W.Africa Mining Conference Set To Take Off

This year’s West Africa International Mining and Power Exhibition and Conference (WAMPEX/WAMPOC) opens at the Accra International Conference Centre next week Tuesday.

The three-day event which is expected to be opened by the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, is under the theme: 'Development through mining and power: A shared responsibility'.

A release issued in Accra yesterday by the organisers quoted the event coordinator, Yaw Kankam, as saying that the conference will attempt to address the numerous challenges that confront the industry and, as well unearthing the numerous opportunities in the mining industry.

He said the conference will also address current sustainable development issues that have risen in the mining industry in Ghana and in Africa.

'In addition, there will be speakers from the World Bank, Goldfields, AngloGold Ashanti and Newmont Mining which is expected to cover a wide range of industry including details of opportunities and report-backs from all the countries in the region,' he said

He mentioned some of the speakers as Dr. Toni Aubynn, Goldfields Ghana; Stephen Baffoe of Newmont Ghana; Erika du Plessis of Golder and Associates; Gwendolyn Wellman, Social Development Consultant from South Africa and Dr. William Bannerman of AngloGold Ashanti.

Other speakers include Mr. Christian Rampa, Luhumbwe, Vice President of Anglo Gold Ashanti, West Africa Division, who will be presenting a paper on the challenges of Artisnal Mining in Ghana; Mr. Kweku Awotwi of Triton Group, will speak on how African governments can harness their various energy resources to enhance their development, while Jabesh Amissah-Arthur of Arthur Energy Advisors, will be talking on the synergy between mining, energy and development.

'On the growing face of lack of proper infrastructure, for the bulk mineral and energy sector in the sub-region, Mr. Jurgen Eijgendaal, the president of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and also the managing director of Ghana Manganese Company will be looking at how these challenges can be over come,' he said.

Mr. Kakam said a high powered 15-member delegation led by the Nigerian Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Chief Sarafedeen Tunji Isola, will also be taking part in the three-day event.

Over 70 exhibitors, both local and international are participating in the event which will showcase new cutting edge technology in the mining industry and also give opportunity for business in the mining industry to network and look up to the way forward.

This year’s event, according to Mr. Kankam has been tailored in a way to address the various challenges confronting the industry and help address them to ensure that the continent benefits tremendously from the industry.