The Ghana Environmental Journalists Association complimented the government and its partners for reviving the Ghana Diamond Company.
On August 23, 2011 Vice president Mr John Dramani Mahama launched the Great Consolidated Diamond Ghana Limited (GCDGL) government owned company. It is to mine diamonds in Akwatia and surrounding communities in the east region. The company will be investing 100 million dollars over five years in a many phased program that will initially create jobs for 2,000 workers and end with employment of over 50,000 people.
The Board Chairman of GCDGL, Mr. Kwame Gyan, expressed gratitude for government’s enormous support which has brought the project to fruition. The company, he assured, is committed to the management of the resource and its sustainability.
Mrs. Hannah Awadzi, President of GEJA said that the association understood that the Company intended to establish an integrated diamond mining and processing industry which was to bring on board a management team and consultants with in-depth expertise, knowledge and skills in business, finance and community development.
GEJA, she said, would like to urge GCDGL not to renege on its promises to support efforts to alleviate poverty and improve the standard of living of the people by employing the youth of the area and investing in developing the communities.
She added that GEJA feared the good intentions of establishing this new company which are to mine diamond and provide jobs for the unemployed could be jeopardized if residents continued to adopt bad practices in mining the diamond, which can destroy the environment.
She continued that GEJA will like to urge government not to hesitate to arrest and prosecute any individual who engages in “galamsey” operations in the communities to benefit from this, since that will send a strong signal to all and sundry that the activity is frown upon by the laws of the country.