The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Kwaku Asomah Cheremeh has asserted that the community mining scheme introduced by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is a supportive initiative aimed at providing members of mining communities the opportunities to engage in lawful and meaningful mining ventures and also to ensure sustainable livelihood for beneficiaries.

According to him, stakeholders must support the scheme to be operative to generate enough income for the development of Ghana assuring that the Ministry will make sure Ghana’s minerals are resourcefully exploited to serve its purpose in the country.

 

 

“Community mining is yet another innovative policy initiated under Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo’s administration and I encourage each and every one of us to help make community mining scheme work effectively for the benefit of mother Ghana and for the people of the community where mining value is generated like this very town,” he said.

“I wish to ensure that my ministry is committed to working with all stakeholders in the mining industry to ensure that the minerals that God has blessed this country with are efficiently exploited and managed for the benefit of all these citizens,” he added.

The Ministry for Lands and Naturals Resources partnered by the Minerals Commission of Ghana on Wednesday, June 3, 2020, launched the Community Small Scale Mining Scheme at Manso Nsiana in the Amansie West District.

 

 

Addressing the chiefs, opinion leaders, and townsmen at a small durbar in the community, Hon. Kwaku Asomah emphasized that the benefits of mining to Ghana’s economy is huge and the motive for government’s strict involvement is to help safeguard the country’s source of finance for better administration.

He revealed that the scheme is introduced by the NPP government to address some of the underlying sources of illegal mining within communities throughout the country and it is an adaption of small-scale mining as provided for under section 81-89 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006; Act 703.

 

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“As you are all aware, mining especially of Gold plays a very significant role in the economy and small-scale mining is a major contribution to this. In the year 2019, the small-scale mining sector contributed 36 percent of the total gold in Ghana.

 

 

“We estimate that 116,000 jobs will be directly created by the scheme and its multiplier could be phenomenal.

The Minister expounded that the scheme will stimulate wealth creation and improve the local economy through the value generated staying within the local communities in Ghana and not leaving the shores of the country.

He added that it would further enable community involvement in mining to answer to the legitimate desire by host communities to participate in the mining industry value chain.

Board Chairman of the Minerals Commission, Hon. S. K. Boafo highlighted that government imposed a ban on illegal mining, “Galamsey” because the approach adopted by people was very poor which affected the lives of people and animals in the community.

 

 

The former Ashanti Regional Minister clarified that community mining is not ‘Galamsey’ therefore, stakeholders should not be deceived of trading without the needed license of participation. He further cautioned that individuals who will be mining illegally would be dealt with due to the prohibition of the trade under Ghana Law.

“When the government banned galamsey, many of our youth lost their funds. This is because the right means were not taken. The president of Ghana has therefore decided to legalize the community mining to engage them in that area of employment for the benefit of the community,” he said.

“I am happy that the Amansie West is embarking on this course. If this is in place, there is no need to engage in galamsey. Community mining is not a galamsey.

“This has the laws of Ghana protecting it under the Minerals Commission. Failure to abide by the rule of the Commission will lead to sanction therefore let no one deceive you of engagement,” he added.

 

 

The Board Chairman also educated the gathering on the Alternative Largely Project (ALP) of the Commission and encouraged the youth who are not interested in community mining to be employed due to its lucrativeness.

“Apart from the community mining, the Alternative Largely Project (ALP) by the Minerals Commission is also available. It has planted a million palm trees across the country and still counting. The design is created purposely to put an end to unemployment and I encourage the young ones to get involved,” he said.