President commission’s $40m bitumen plant

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo Thursday commissioned a 40-million-dollar bitumen processing plant in Tema.

The plant, the biggest bitumen processing terminal in Ghana, is a joint venture between Goil Ghana Limited and Société Multinationale de Bitumes (SMB) of Cote d’Ivoire. The initiative is expected to play a key role in the country’s road construction sector and industrial growth and reduce the reliance on bitumen imports. 

At an inaugural ceremony, President Akufo-Addo underscored the significance of the partnership, saying that the project was a testament of what could be achieved if the subregion pulled its resources and expertise together. 

He emphasized that emphasized that the plant was symbolic of the strong ties between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire, noting that the collaboration “exemplified the power of shared vision and resources within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).”

President Akufo-Addo was joined at the ceremony by the Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, Robert Beugré Mambé, who represented President Alassane Ouattara.

The plant has two bitumen storage tanks with the capacity of AC20, 4000metric tonnes and AC10, 2000metric tonnes respectively, one blend stock tank with the capacity of 450metric tonnes, two 15 metric tonnes mixing tanks for Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB), three 133metric tonnes of letdown tanks for PMB and two 133metric tonnes of emulsions storage tanks.

It has a total 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, which are critical to the development of durable road infrastructure.

President Akufo-Addo said the plant had come at a time when his government was making significant investments in expanding the country’s road network.

“Since 2017, we have embarked on the most extensive road construction program in Ghana’s history, with over 12,000 kilometers of roads built.

“This facility will complement the government’s efforts, producing the necessary volumes of polymer modified bitumen and bitumen emulsions to meet the growing demands of our infrastructure sector,” he said.

Polymer Modified Bitumen (PMB) offers enhanced performance under extreme weather conditions and heavy traffic loads. PMB, which is produced by adding polymers to standard bitumen, is known for its superior elasticity, strength, and resistance to cracking, making it ideal for use in high-stress areas such as highways and airport runways.

President Akufo-Addo noted that the ability to produce modified bituminous products domestically would cut building costs and improve the quality and longevity of the country’s roads. 

He asked the Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr. Francis Asenso Boakye, to ensure that high-quality bitumen from the GOIL/SMB plant was used in major road projects across the country.

“This will ensure that the infrastructure we build today stands the test of time and contributes to the long-term development of Ghana,” he emphasised.

The President praised the joint venture as a model for future collaborations within ECOWAS, stressing that cooperation between national companies could drive industrialization and economic development across the region. 

“This initiative demonstrates what we can achieve when we pool our resources, expertise, and resolve as nations. It is a symbol of how cooperation between our two nations can serve as a catalyst for regional development.” 

President Akufo-Addo said the facility would contribute to job creation and boost Ghana’s export potential. 

He said the country would not only produce high-quality bitumen products domestically to meet local demand but would also establish itself as a key player in the West African bitumen market, generating foreign exchange earnings for the economy.

The President reaffirmed the government’s commitment to establishing an enabling environment for industrial initiatives such as the GOIL/SMB Bitumen Plant. 

He said the success of such initiatives demonstrated the government’s good economic policies and the Ghanaian economy’s resilience in the face of global challenges.

Mr. Herbert Krappa, a Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy, said the plant was not only an accomplishment for the road sector, but also an opportunity to expand many areas of the economy, particularly the energy sector.

He emphasized the importance of promoting policies that align with the President’s aim of enabling private investment to thrive, citing the opening of the facility as a prime example.

The minister said the opening of the facility would enable the country to increase its petroleum product portfolio by reopening and configuring existing local refineries to process a wider range of crude oils including heavier grades to meet demand specifications of the plant.

He stated that that was consistent with Ghana’s national energy strategy, which aims to make the country more resilient and adaptable to global market dynamics. 

Mr. Kwame Osei Prempeh, Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Managing Director of Goil, stressed that the plant would complement the government’s efforts at building the country’s road infrastructure. 

He urged the government to halt the import of low-grade bitumen into the country.

Source: GNA

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