Board Chair of the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), Farouk Aliu Mahama, has assured the people of Dagbon that before the end of 2022, there will be an investor to kickstart mining at Shiani.

Member of Parliament for Yendi said the government also intends to build an aluminium smelter that will melt the ore and create more jobs for the people of the area.

Speaking at the Gweba Palace Yendi when Board Members and management paid a courtesy call on the Yaa-Naa, Alhaji Farouk said the Ameri gas plant will also be extended to Yendi.

”I want to assure you that we want to bring a smelter plant, we are also bringing the Ameri gas plant from Kumasi to around the Yendi area, and that is also a multi-million contract. It's going to create employment and royalties to the Dagbon traditional council,” he said.

He said having the biggest iron ore in Dagbon; the board would work hard to unlock the resources. He added that the board will also collaborate with the chiefs to ensure there is a win-win situation.

“We will make sure we have a win-win situation with the chiefs because it’s the chiefs that owe the land. Therefore as a son of the land, I want to assure you that I will collaborate with you day and night,” he told the King.

Mr Farouk said with the strong collaboration; he believes Shiani will have the biggest mining set up by 2022.

He said Shiani is a multibillion-dollar project, and they will not allow the resources to go waste, adding that they have set the tone with an action plan and the right budgetary allocation for work to start.

The MP for the area said the Yendi Office of GIISDEC will be the headquarters, and a new benefiting ultra-modern office will be built by January, adding that an operating office will also be built at Shaini.

”The trickle effect will be Shaini; the youth will get jobs, Zabzugu youth will get jobs, and Yendi youth and the Kingdom of Dagbon under which the Yaa-Naa is the overlord will have the direct beneficiary of employment,” he said.

He said Shaini is not the only place been developed, adding that the Akpafu area in the Oti region, which has almost 1.3 million metric tons of iron ore, will also be developed.

”With the support of the board, the biggest natural resources exploration will start next week, and we are starting in blocs,” he said.

The King of Dagbon, Yaa-Naa Abukari II, welcoming the team to his palace, said the visit recognises that the board and management recognise and are ready to collaborate with the traditional authorities as to the custodians of the land and major stakeholders in mining in the country.

He said building a strong relationship with the traditional authorities is a form of ensuring all-inclusiveness.

”I, therefore, want to assure you of the readiness of the traditional authorities to collaborate with you to ensure you do a good job for our mother Ghana,” the King said.

The Yaa-Naa said Shaini iron ore is one of the natural resources God has blessed the country with, and like every resource mine in the country, the benefits shall go to the people of Ghana and not only the Dagbon.

He entreated the team to be guided by national interest in their operations to help build Ghana and do an excellent job as a justification for their inclusion in their affairs of the cooperation.

He said it was unfortunate that areas where natural resources are sited are often let out with less attention in terms of development.

”Despite numerous socioeconomic interventions, Dagbon is still struggling with many development challenges which need very agent attention,” Yaa-Naa said.

The team also paid courtesy calls to several other chiefs in the area and met with a staff of GIISDEC.