General Manager of Shandong Gold Group, the parent company of Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd., Mr Hang Li, has announced the company's plan to construct an airport in Bolgatanga to ease transportation to and from the Upper East region.

He noted that discussions are already underway with the relevant stakeholders, and hopefully, the project will come on stream.

Mr Hang Li made this known on Wednesday, October 25, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, paid a working visit to the head office of the Shandong Gold Group in Jinan, a city in the Shandong Province of China.

Mr Jinapor is in China at the invitation of China’s Minister for Natural Resources, Wang Guanghua, to participate in the 25th China Mining Conference and Exhibition, to be held in Tianjin, from October 26th to October 28th, 2023.

The Conference, said to be one of the largest mining events, brings together government’s investors and other industry players to discuss developments in the mining industry, including mining investment, green and innovative mining, as well as emerging practices in the industry.

Ahead of the conference, the Lands Minister called on the senior leadership of Shandong Gold Group to engage them on their operations in Ghana.

Shandong Gold Group has a project in Ghana, the Cardinal Namdini project, which is currently at the construction stage, following a relocation of affected communities last year.

It is projected that the mine will produce some 1.1 million ounces of gold in the first three years, becoming the third largest mine in the country.

Mr. Hang Li, while engaging the Lands Minister, assured of the company's commitment to pouring its first gold at the Namdini project in Talensi, in the Upper East Region, before the end of next year.

He said the company’s strategic plan has always been to pour gold by the fourth quarter of 2024, and its management in China is working with the team in Ghana to ensure that they deliver on this commitment.

On his part, Mr. Jinapor said the government was willing to provide all the support the company needs to ensure that gold is poured early enough next year.

The minister said the Namdini project is crucial for the country to maintain her position as the leading producer of gold on the continent.

He added that the impact the project will have on the economy of the northern part of the country makes it imperative for the company to start production as soon as possible. He called on the management to give the necessary support to the team in Ghana to deliver on their promise.

Touching on the proposed airport at Bolgatanga, Mr. Jinapor said it will make the work of the company and the transportation of gold easy and urged them to expedite action on it.

He also called on the company to invest in other mining projects in the country, including investment in value addition, and work to become an example for Chinese investment in Ghana.

Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Dr. Winfred Hammond, lauded the commitments made by the company and pledged the Embassy’s unflinching support to ensure that the first gold is poured next year at the Namdini mine.

The Minister was also accompanied by the Chairperson of the Minerals Commission Board, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Mines and Energy, Samuel Atta-Akyea, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Martin Ayisi.

Cardinal Namdini Mining Ltd. is the largest mining company in China and has been ranked among the top ten global gold enterprises for two consecutive years, according to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.