“lithium In Commercial Quantity Will Bring More Jobs

Dr. Toni Aubyn

Former Chief Executive Officer of Minerals Commission Dr. Toni Aubynn believes that, more jobs would be created if the lithium discovered in some parts of Ghana is in commercial quantity.

He says it is now that the minerals commission will be assessing whether the mineral found is commercially viable or not.

He stated that there is a difference between being discovered and being found that it is in commercial quantity.

“What we have to do is to pray that the lithium will be in commercial quantity. Some minerals can just be discovered but will not be commercially viable.

They will have to do more work on that” He stated.

Dr. Toni Aubynn said, the discovery of the mineral in the Volta Region is a surprise to him unlike Western and Central Regions.

This is because there were reports some time ago that some people were mining lithium in western and central areas but were stopped because they were not licensed to do so.

He believes the one at the Volta Region is an add on which will solve unemployment if it is eventually found to be in commercial quantity.

The immediate past Boss of the Minerals Commission was on 18th January, 2018 speaking on Bogoso based Best Fm in the Western Region on the new discovery of lithium in the Volta and Ashanti Regions

He said the found mineral has more benefits since it is used in many electronic gadgets.

“All the batteries used for vehicles and torch light are some of the benefits from lithium.

It is not common and Congo is the country which has it in large quantity in the world.” He mentioned.

Dr. Aubynn responding to the assertions that, many of the mining communities in Ghana are rather suffering rather than benefiting more from the mining companies operating in their towns, so how different will the discovery of the lithium in Volta and Ashanti Regions do for those areas said, the assertions are not entirely true.

“Yes it could have been nice to see Western Region, Tarkwa, Bogoso, Damang,Prestea develop more than what we see. But is not bad like that at all.” He rebutted.

He however said, what becomes a problem is the use of the monies gotten from the mining sectors at areas outside the mining host communities.

“Mining is the major contributor of the country’s internal revenue if you even check from the Ministry of Finance since 2012. The problem is because it is in the discretion of the government to decide how the consolidated fund should be used.

So it is sometimes difficult to find some of the monies in the host communities for more development”. Dr. Toni Aubynn stated.

Withal, he is optimistic that, the asphalting of the stretch from Tarkwa Bogoso junction, Aboso, Huni-Valley through to Damang by Goldfields Ghana Limited will be a major development in any mining community.