Burkina Faso opens landmark gold refinery
Focus on Africa

Burkina Faso opens landmark gold refinery

B2Upper-intermediateOctober 6, 202622 min
  • Business & money

Burkina Faso's military-led government has opened a gold refinery in a bid to tighten its grip on one of the country's most important industries. The $19 million facility known as Raffinor-BF is financed by the state, including through the National Precious Metals Company (Sonasp), in partnership with Burkina Faso's private sector. The plant will initially be capable of refining 164 tonnes of gold a year, significantly more than the country's current annual production. And in Ghana, authorities are enforcing a long-ignored ban on preaching in moving commercial vehicles, with offenders facing fines, jail time, or both. Presenter...

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as their pulpit? We are very worried. Most pastors here depend on preaching to take care

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It's Tuesday, October 6th.

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0:00

Hello, I'm blessing Adirosa from Lagos, Nigeria, stepping in for Nkechi Oguna. And here's what's coming up for you on this edition of Focus on Africa. Burkina Faso is betting big on gold, with a new US$19 million refinery designed to process up to 515 tons of gold a year, a bid to keep more of the country's mineral wealth at home.

0:31

But can it deliver on those ambitions amid insecurity and illegal mining? Bringing in more industrial activity in the gold industry will be reducing some of the informal trading because the informal sector is very predominant in West Africa. And preaching on the moving boss could now cost you in Ghana as authorities enforce

0:51

a long ignored ban. But what does the crackdown mean for the preachers who have long used buses as their pulpit? We are very worried. Most pastors here depend on preaching to take care of their families. Passengers sometimes offer us money. The government should allow us to preach. It's Tuesday, October 6th.

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