Emmanuel Kendemeh
10 January 2008
Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni yesterday received the Director of the Agro Energy Development company and the Chief Executive Officer of Titanium Resources Group.
The Chief Executive Office of Sierra Leone -based Titanium Resources Group, Len Comerford led a delegation to the Prime Minister's Office to declare the company's intention of exploring and developing the bauxite and titanium resources in Cameroon. Titanium Resources Group, he told Cameroon's Prime Minister, Ephraim Inoni, has been operating in West Africa for over 20 years. In Sierra Leone where the mining company operates, it is the largest private sector employer specialised in the production of titanium minerals such as rutile, ilmenite as well as bauxite accounting for 65 percent of Sierra Leone's exports.
Len Comerford disclosed to journalists after the audience that the two titanium minerals, natural rutile and ilmenite it produces, are used as feedstock in the production of titanium dioxide, used in the production of paints, paper, plastics and pharmaceuticals. The graded metallurgical bauxite it produces is the primary feedstock used in the production of aluminium. He explained that these are the operations, "we are looking forward to extend from the West Africa to other regions in Africa". He said, "from previous work done, there are great potentials in Cameroon". Owing to the warm and favourable responses from Cameroon's Prime Minister and the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Technological Development, " in the short term, we will come with geological and exploration teams to bring the results estimates to world class compliance statement", Len Comerford said. The feasibility studies for the start of the project could be completed within 12 months and for a five to six months period, they would update the feasibility studies and finances for effective start of operations. Besides the provision of social amenities to the local communities, the development of Cameroon's titanium and bauxite mining with create jobs with the case of Sierra Leone glaring where 150 000 people live on mining concessions.
The audience with the delegation of Titanium Resources Group came on the heels of another one granted the Director of the French bio- energy company, Agro Energy Development (AED), Charles Millon. He led a delegation that expressed the company's plans to develop the bio -energy industry in Cameroon. He told the press after the audience that they were motivated by President Paul Biya's recent call for the development of the bio-fuel industry in the country. AED officials disclosed that bio-energy is produced using a mixture of products some of which are flowers, palm oil and cotton. Both the officials of the Titanium Resources Group and Agro Energy Development expressed satisfaction at the readiness of Cameroon's government to support and create an enabling environment for their respective activities.
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