Sankofa Gold targets 70kg output after 9-month shutdown

Prestea Sankofa Gold Limited, a state-owned company, aims to resume gold production of 70 kilograms by the end of October 2026 after a nine-month shutdown. The company plans to process 850 tonnes of material daily, according to Reginald Soweh, the Senior Plant Manager for Processing. The target production of 850 tons per day is expected to yield the 70-kilogram gold goal. The company's management also seeks to increase gold recovery rates from 75% to 80% and eventually surpass 90%.

During the shutdown, the company carried out maintenance works on its processing plant and resolved concerns about the capacity of its existing tailings dam. To ensure sustained production, the state-owned company is constructing a second tailings dam. Ebenezer Essien, the Public Relations Officer, explained that the shutdown was partly due to the need to maintain the existing facility, which was nearing capacity, while addressing repairs and maintenance on the processing plant.

The existing dam requires constant monitoring due to the potential environmental risks posed by the chemicals contained in the waste from gold processing. The Environmental Protection Authority and the Minerals Commission have granted the company approximately three months to continue depositing waste in the existing dam while building the replacement facility.

The new tailings dam is near completion, accounting for approximately 80% of the project. The Managing Director, Alhaji Ishaq Dauda, revealed that the US$5 million project is being financed internally. The dam is expected to be operational by the end of November, contingent on the successful completion of the remaining works. The facility's readiness to receive processing waste is crucial in determining whether production can continue uninterrupted.

Nevertheless, the prolonged shutdown has raised concerns about the company's ability to meet its financial obligations while still fulfilling its responsibilities to staff and other obligations that necessitate funds. The Western Regional Minister, Joseph Nelson, who visited the facility with a local politician and an official, expressed his worry that such a shutdown could negatively impact a company's operations and its staff.