VALCO will rise again – Mahama

President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday gave the assurance that government would do everything under its purview to revive the Volta Aluminum Company (VALCO) to take its rightful position in the smelting of alumina in the country.

He said he had directed the Ministry of Power to make available all excess power to VALCO as soon as the current challenges were stabilized.

President Mahama gave the assurance when he paid a working visit to the company to ascertain its current operational levels.

He was accompanied by Dr Kwabena Donkor, Minister of Power and Dr EKwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, among other dignitaries.

President Mahama, who earlier inaugurated the Enclave Power Company substation in Tema, said VALCO which was the flagship project of the late President Kwame Nkrumah, would be given all the necessary support to reclaim its past glories.

"You are in competition with other smelting companies in the world, and we shall do everything possible to provide cheaper power for you to carry out your activities to the maximum."

He said the power shortages over the years did not affect only the VALCO, but other companies, such as the Tema Oil Refinery and the Drydock Company that had suffered partial closures.

President Mahama said the generation of more power in the coming years would also help in the revival of some of the defunct companies that were closed down over the years.

He said government had already revived the Kumasi GIHOC Shoe Factory and the Komenda Sugar Factory, and with more power, government would revive the Aboso Glass Factory, to supply bottles to beverage companies and glass for industry.

President Mahama explained that the importation of certain goods was becoming expensive and therefore reviving such companies would stabilize the economy in the coming years.

"VALCO will see its glorious days again," President Mahama added.

The President commended Management and staff for keeping the premises of the company very neat despite the current challenges they were facing.