|
Traditional Goldsmiths cry for
gold
Takoradi, Oct. 14, GNA - Traditional goldsmiths in the
manufacture of jewelleries within the Western Region are on
the verge of extinction, due to their inability to access
gold for their production.
They are compelled to buy gold at internationally
competitive prices or rely on "galamsey" operators, many of
whose operations are illegal.
Mr David Elemawusi Nibo, Western Regional Secretary of the
Federation of Ghanaian Jewellers disclosed this to the Ghana
News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Takoradi on Tuesday.
He said their business which falls within the small and
medium scale (SMEs) category, cannot access bank loans, due
to the lack of collateral, and the survival of the industry
depended on the initiative of the owner.
“Our businesses are on the verge of collapse due to our
inability to sustain it due to the rising cost of gold and
our inability to get a consistent source of gold, our major
raw material.
Mr Nibo said another threat to the local goldsmith industry
was the high patronage of cheap foreign rings, necklaces,
ornaments and pendants “many of which are substandard as
compared to what is manufactured in the country”.
Mr Nibo expressed the disappointment of the members of the
federation at various government ministers, who have headed
the ministry of mines for failing to fulfil the numerous
promises they made to them.
“We feel cheated and abandoned without any hope of keeping
our small scale business in operation” he said.
Mr Nibo suggested that a gold refinery should be established
in the Western Region to enable small and medium scale
goldsmiths have access to some quantities of gold at
affordable prices.
“We cannot continue to travel to Accra and other parts of
the country to buy gold, considering the risks and other
dangers associated with travelling with such precious
metals,” he stressed.
He suggested the establishment of a Western Regional Gold
Village, where crafts made out of gold and other minerals
could be displayed and for sale to anyone interested.
Mr Nibo said it was sad that though the country was
described over several years as a Gold Coast, over 80
percent of the citizenry have not seen what gold looks like,
thereby making dealers prey to the activities of fraudsters.
He called on Ghanaians to change their attitude and tastes
for foreign goods and embrace locally manufactured goods and
services in the country.
Dr Toni Aubynn, Corporate Affairs Manager of Goldfields
Ghana Limited (GGL) in a re-action said the federation could
purchase gold from the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC)
to keep their businesses in operation.
He said one of the aims for legalising scale mining and the
establishment of the PMMC, was to make gold available to
local consumers and manufacturers of gold and diamond
products.
Dr Aubynn however disagreed with the federation that they be
assisted to buy gold at reduced prices and stressed that
producers of gold will not accept to sell gold below the
"par value" or the approved market price.
“Again selling gold or any such raw materials below the
market price would not reflect the true production cost for
either the company or the goldsmith in the country,” he
added.
Dr Aubynn however suggested that some embedded taxes on gold
by the PMMC could be reviewed so that gold prices will come
down for domestic buyers and keep small and medium scale
businesses (SMEs) in the industry functional.
“In the long run, I think this will require policy rather
than the temporary magnanimity of any gold mining company,”
he noted
He said sometime ago, GGL went into a gold loan arrangement
with the College of Jewellery in Accra for a similar reason
but the outcome was negative.
Mr John G. Koomson, Acting Western Regional Head of the
National Board for Small Scale Businesses (NBSSI) said,
previously the jewellers in the region purchased their gold
from the Bank of Ghana (BOG) but did not know why they had
stopped.
He pledged to meet the leadership and the BOG and
re-activate the previous arrangements.
Mr Ahmed D. Nantogmah, Director of Public Affairs and
Environment of the Ghana Chamber of Mines said in an
interview that currently two local companies, the Precious
Metal Refinery (PMR) and Asap Vespa both refined and sold
gold to goldsmiths and jewellers.
"Thus, there is adequate refinery capacity in the country.
It will be superfluous to have additional capacity in the
Western Region,” he said.
GNA
|
