President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has officially inaugurated Ghana’s largest bitumen processing plant in Tema, a strategic location due to its proximity to major road construction projects.
The $40 million facility is a joint venture between Ghana’s GOIL PLC and Côte d’Ivoire’s Société Multinationale de Bitumes (SMB). It aims to transform the country’s road construction industry and decrease its reliance on imported bitumen.
President Akufo-Addo lauded the plant as a significant achievement in regional cooperation and economic collaboration during the inauguration.
Côte d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister Robert Beugré Mambé, who represented President Alassane Ouattara, attended the ceremony, highlighting the importance of this cross-border partnership.
The President underscored that the new plant embodies the robust bilateral relations between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire and serves as a testament to the potential of collaborative efforts within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The GOIL/SMB Bitumen Plant has a storage capacity of 7,500 metric tons and will process base bitumen imported from Côte d’Ivoire into high-quality polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) and bitumen emulsions.
PMB is renowned for its durability and elasticity, making it ideal for high-traffic areas such as highways and runways. Bitumen emulsions, crucial for road maintenance, offer a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution by minimizing the need for high-temperature applications.
President Akufo-Addo emphasized the plant’s strategic timing, which aligns with his government’s extensive road construction initiative. Over 12,000 kilometres of roads have been added since 2017.
The new facility is expected to meet the increasing demand for polymer-modified bitumen and emulsions, supporting the government’s infrastructure development goals.
The inauguration of the GOIL/SMB Bitumen Plant also signifies a significant advancement in regional integration. President Akufo-Addo described the project as a model for future ECOWAS collaborations, illustrating the benefits of resource and expertise pooling for industrial and economic progress.
The plant is anticipated to generate employment and enhance Ghana’s export capacity by providing high-quality bitumen products to neighbouring West African countries, thus contributing to foreign exchange earnings and regional economic growth.
The President stressed the importance of adhering to international standards to position Ghana as a leader in the regional bitumen sector.
President Akufo-Addo reaffirmed his government’s support for industrial ventures like the GOIL/SMB Bitumen Plant, viewing it as a demonstration of Ghana’s economic resilience and effective policies.
He urged the Minister for Roads and Highways, Francis Asenso-Boakye, to ensure the plant’s products are utilized in major national road projects, thereby assuring the audience of the effective utilization of the plant’s products.
In closing, the President praised GOIL PLC’s leadership, the contractors Orsam, and the teams from GOIL and SMB for their commitment and timely project completion, thereby fostering a sense of appreciation among the audience for the efforts of these key players.
He expressed optimism about future industrial partnerships between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, positioning the bitumen plant as a foundation for further regional cooperation and sustainable development.
