Latvian Millionaire Urges Ghana to Prioritize Farming Over Galamsey
A businessman who lost a fortune in the 2008 financial crisis is urging Ghana to prioritize agriculture over illegal mining, commonly known as galamsey.
Aldis Ozols, Founder and CEO of A1 Diesel Limited, made the passionate appeal during an interview on JoyNews’ Personality Profile with Lexis Bill on Thursday night. Ozols, who is also the author of the newly released memoir, ‘Win Life, Lose Millions,’ believes Ghana’s future lies in harnessing its fertile lands.
Having personally invested and lost approximately half a million dollars in small-scale gold mining in Ghana, Ozols spoke with firsthand experience about the destructive nature of the industry. “I think Ghana can stop [galamsey],” he stated emphatically.
He contrasted the potential of agriculture with the devastation caused by galamsey, highlighting Ghana’s natural abundance. “Ghana can do well with farming. The farming is the super future for Ghana,” Ozols added. He illustrated his point with a simple observation: “When you eat pawpaw, you just throw the seeds. You see what happened? They grow immediately. Whatever you plant, the land is so fertile. You don’t need to add any fertiliser. Ghana is so rich. Ghana is so blessed.”
Ozols painted a stark picture of the environmental consequences of illegal mining, noting the destruction of forests and water bodies. “The forests are being destroyed on this continent – thousands of acres, water bodies – everything,” he said. He further pointed out the health implications, stating, “You can see in Tarkwa that mosquitoes are less than in Accra. Why? Because of poisons in every water.”
The 55-year-old Latvian-born entrepreneur’s journey is marked by dramatic highs and lows. He built a €17 million real estate empire in Europe before losing it all, along with €7 million in debt, in the 2008 financial crash. A subsequent heart attack and battle with depression led him to Ghana in 2010.
His initial foray into gold mining proved disastrous. “I invested everything in small-scale mining. Floods came, excavators were destroyed, and after all that pain I got only 2.5 kilos of gold. It was a disaster,” he recalled.
From the ashes of that failure, Ozols founded A1 Diesel in 2013, starting in a modest backyard workshop. Today, the company has grown into a leading diesel injection and turbocharger specialist in West Africa, providing employment for many Ghanaians and exporting its services across the continent.
Ozols’ book, ‘Win Life, Lose Millions,’ launched this week in Accra, is gaining recognition as a powerful testament to resilience. He encapsulated his philosophy with a poignant message: “Pain is the best teacher. I lost €17 million, almost lost my life, but I won life.” He believes Ghana too can “lose the galamsey money today and win life tomorrow.”
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
