'Powering Up' Business in West Africa

CALLED the "West African gold rush" and seen as a mining hotspot, West Africa is one of the world's fastest growing regions for gold production. The only impediment to its success is an unreliable power supply. To address this, West African regional governments have embarked   on a major development programme to expand infrastructure and increase capacity. In doing this, the region's infrastructure and power issues have in fact become an opportunity, much like its  mining Sector.

Eight new mines have started production in the last three years, with another 13 mine projects planned for the region. Ghana alone has nine major mines and 600 smaller mining operations, all looking for international partners to scale up production.

Playing a prominent role in facilitating development for the last 17 years, the biennial West African Mining and Power Industry Exhibition (WAMPEX) and its associated conference WAMPOC will attract international exhibitors, visitors, and delegates to Accra from 6 to 8 June 2012.

The 2012 Expo and Conference will see regular participants in the form of mining houses Anglogold Ashanti, Newmont, Goldfields, and Golden Star Resources taking part. Previous exhibitors West Africa Pumping Services, Golder Associates, Sykes Group, and Sakr Power, buoyed by the success of their 2010 involvement, have doubled their exhibition space bookings.

Why power and mining?

Ghana relies on water in the Volta River to feed the hydroelectric turbines below the Volta Dam, which supplies almost all the country's electricity. Occasionally droughts disrupt water flow causing power cuts, reducing mining output.

Ghana's Deputy Minister of Energy, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, recently reiterated the Government's commitment to electrification. "In pursuance of Government's plans to accelerate the programme for universal access to electricity, currently USD 966.55 million from partners and the government has been committed to ongoing electricity projects."

In fact, the unpredictability of power supply in many African countries is one of the main hindrances to economic growth and social development. Many countries have unreliable, ageing equipment, with Nigeria a prime example, operating at one third of its installed capacity.

The event is endorsed by the Ghanaian Ministries of Energy Lands and Natural Resources, the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the Minerals Commission of Ghana, and the Volta River Authority.

On sustainable resources

The WAMPOC 2012 Conference provides a platform for discussing and debating the state of the mining and power industries in the West Africa sub-region. Industry leaders will present papers on current trends in the industry—from policy matters through to exploration, financing, risk management, and integration. The theme for the 2012 WAMPOC Conference is "Deepening partnerships for the sustainable development of Africa's mineral and energy resources."

About WAMPEX

This is the 10th international exhibition for suppliers to West Africa's rapidly growing mining and mineral resources sector. International suppliers of mining equipment, technology, services, and consumables, as well as those companies offering power generating equipment and transmission and distribution equipment and technology, will showcase their products and services. The event is organised by Exhibition Management Services in association with EPI Events and Projects International Ltd. For more info, contact Serean at Exhibition Management Services at telephone +27-11-783-7250 and E-mail SNEAKERS