Despite warnings by experts and the Minority in Parliament against leveraging Ghana's bauxite at Kyebi in the Eastern region for a Chinese facility of $19 billion, government maintains it will go ahead to use the natural resource for the deal.
According to experts, using the Kyebi reserve would have international and local implications as the forest is being protected by the United Nations. Â It has rich exotic species and also serve as a source of livelihood for the people in the area.
They believe that destroying the forest would also affect human existence as there are many benefits to be gained from the reserve.
However, government seems unperturbed by the development,insisting that the reserve would be used for the purposes of the China deal.
According to Dr. Gideon Boako, Economic Advisor to Vice President, Mahamudu Bawumia, they are aware of the concessions that are viable to be mined and would do so accordingly.
Speaking on Accra based Citi Fm, he said, in the case where the whole of the Kyebi concession cannot be mined, focus would be shifted
to the Nyinahin concession which is three times bigger than that of Kyebi.
He revealed that the former President John Mahana sold 58%(three concessions) of the bauxite deposit of the country to his brother, Ibrahim Mahama in December 29, 2016, just as his government was leaving office.
That he said, means the concessions in the country could be mined to serve developmental purposes for the entire country.
Â