Atiwa Quarries Starts Operation

Atiwa Quarries Limited (AQL), a leading quarrying firm, has commenced the production of granite chippings to supply to the construction industry.

The $9 million firm, which has about 77 acres of land, is located at Opeikuma in the Awutu-Senya Municipal Area in the Central Region. The rated capacity of the plant is 400 tonnes per hour and can be operated for between eight and 10 hours a day.

It is expected to produce between 45,000 and 50,000 tonnes of granite chippings a month.

It has a total working population of 54, with 90 per cent of them hailing from the community.

Briefing the media Wednesday at the company’s site, the Chief Executive Officer of AQL, Mr Kwame Asare, said the company aimed at becoming the leading and most efficient quarrying firm in Ghana and the West Africa sub-region in general.

‘’It is important to note that with the find of oil and gas in commercial quantities in 2010, there has been an upsurge in construction nation-wide, particularly in the Western and Central regions. In addition, there has been a steady increase in the construction of roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, industries, sea defences, dams, and the like over the past years parallel to the nation’s economic growth,’’ he said.

He contends that the scarcity of chippings in the country has affected the rapid growth of the economy and slowed down business, particularly in the construction field .

Mr Asare put the supply of chippings in the country at not more than 45 per cent, which limited many construction firms in the country to work below their intended targets, stressing that ‘’ many companies have now stopped production because of limited supply of chippings’’.

Aside the creation of job opportunities for people in the community, he said, the company would boost the country’s chances of expanding its infrastructure,citing schools and hospitals as major areas of development.

Touching on the company’s social responsibly, Mr Asare said the company had agreed with the community to sponsor some of the youth in education, adding that “apart from the boreholes drilled for the people, a specific amount of money will be allocated to the community to improve their living standards’’

Giving the technical details, the Quarry Manager, Dieu Donne Tayi Yankson, said the activities of the crushing plant involved drilling, blasting, loading and haulage.

‘’ All these processes are to ensure that we are able to produce quality granite chippings to support the growth of the quarry business in the country.

Commenting on the health conditions of the workers, Mr Yankson said workers had been provided with various protective garments, including head gear, goggles and nose mats to protect them from the dust and small particles.

With the health of members of the community, he said, a fence had been built to ensure that the activities of the quarry did not affect their health and business.