Frank Timis, Chief Executive Officer of the Sierra Leone iron ore giant African Minerals has added two other countries to his corporate empire.
The two are Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso, with Pan-African minerals set to upgrade and refurbish rail lines and is the lead operator between the two countries.
With this development, the African mining landscape is about to change for good. A source close to company say the two West African countries will soon see a complete overhaul of their socio-economic circumstances, as both governments in Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso have consented to give rights to Pan African Minerals (Timis Corporation), to upgrade and refurbish the rail line between the two countries to increase maximum capacity of the largest Manganese deposit in the world, foodstuff and livestock. After successful operations in Sierra Leone and Liberia, Pan-African Minerals is taking on these new challenges.
The African Minerals boss has just returned from a tour of West Africa, where he had a joint meeting with both Presidents of the Republic of Cote D’ivoire and Bukina Faso. According to sources,the discussions were fruitful and productive, and Timis Corporation will soon engage in projects that will enhance the socio-economic life of the people of both countries, by facilitating trade and movement of basic commodities between the two countries.
Timis Corporation consists of African Minerals, Pan African Minerals, and African Petroleum.
Timis Corporation, it is reported, will also undertake a 1400km of rail line refurbishment across Burkina and Cote d’Ivoire after that line was decapitated by Bollore group in the last 15 years. The entire project will involve working on a 25 mtpa port and mine operation; investing $2.5bn in 30 months, and employing a 15000 member workforce during the construction process.
The Timis Corporation has invested in excess of 4.5Bn in mining and oil exploration and development in West Africa. The company’s projects across the region have seen the creation and employment of over ten thousand jobs with thousands of scholarships awarded to students.
Health centers are built, buildings for schools are erected, access roads are constructed. The company now operates in several countries in West Africa, including Sierra Leone, Cote D’ivore, Senegal, Gambia, Liberia and Bukina Faso and has invested over $4.5 Bn in West Africa, these include its $2.5bn investment in Sierra Leone through (African Minerals). Thousands of West Africans are employed across its operations, which makes the company one of the largest employers of local skilled and unskilled labour in West Africa.
The company has offered thousands of scholarships to deprived West Africans students in an effort to improve on the skills of a vibrant labour force and enhance national development efforts. Timis Corporation has also been instrumental in facilitating hundreds of thousands of pounds of sponsorship of Christians and Muslim pilgrims to their holy land particularly during the holy months of Ramadan and lent.
Street kids have also been the beneficiary of Frank Timis’ generosity as he embarks on social projects to get children off the streets into vocational training and by creating employment opportunities for them.
By Jay Willie
August 5, 2013
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