Africa-Press – Ghana. The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Former President John Dramani Mahama has accused the Akufo-Addo administration of mishandling the mining sector.
Mr Mahama stated that over the past seven years, the small-scale miners in the country have endured enough government mishandling of the sector, such as equipment confiscations and, in some cases, the loss of lives of innocent Ghanaians.
But he has proposed a number of things he would do differently for the sector.
Addressing the ‘3rd Annual Transformational Dialogue on Small-scale mining’ organised by the University of Energy and Natural Resources in Sunyani on Wednesday, May 15, he said “Let me share with you a few of what I intend to do in this sector, some key proposals, and initiatives we will implement to help us achieve what should be a sustainable, responsible, and prosperous small-scale mining sector.”
He said the NDC has proposed the establishment of district mining offices in all mining areas in the country.
“Staffed by officers from the Minerals Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and other agencies, these offices will usher in a new era of transparency and efficiency, streamlining the application process for mining licenses and fostering hope and optimism among small-scale miners.
“To support these efforts, we plan to amend the Minerals and Mining Act to grant district mining offices a legal mandate to issue mining licenses. This would decentralise the licensing regime and increase the number of regulated small-scale mining companies and youth employment, particularly under the 24-hour economy policy,” he said.
Mr Mahama further stated that “As part of our broader economic transformation model and a burning commitment to creating more sustainable and decent jobs for the Ghanaian youth, my administration intends to ensure the active involvement of mining engineers and graduates from the University of Mines and Technology and the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, in the small-scale mining sector, creating opportunities for them. These professionals will be attached to the newly created district mining offices and small-scale operators to provide guidance and support.
“This will also introduce the best mining practices, thereby ensuring the safety and sustainability of mining practices.
“One of the impacts of illegal mining, including galamsey, has been the destruction of forests and cocoa farms. We will protect the destruction of cocoa farms for mining and effectively ban the issuance of entry permits into forests. Mining in water bodies will be outrightly prohibited. Recognising the invaluable role of traditional leaders in our society and as a testament to our commitment to inclusivity and respect for all stakeholders, I intend to have traditional leaders included in the crucial process of granting mining licenses in their communities.
“Therefore, we must strengthen regulatory institutions such as the Minerals Commission, the EPA, the Geological Survey Authority, and the Natural Resources Universities to further this.
“This will involve laws, policies, regulatory enforcement, and education. Miners must be aware of the regulations and their reasons. They must be partners in this transforma>on and not adversaries.”
The aggressive approach adopted in recent times has proven unsustainable. It has only helped worsen the fight against galamsey and led to a situation in where some political actors and their task force teams profit from the arrangement, he added.
“It is also my vision to reform the mining sector structurally. Ghana’s small-scale mining sector is perhaps the only economic sector with only two categories—small and large. Some mines within the small-scale category have grown beyond ‘small’ but are not large enough to qualify as large-scale. My government will structurally reform the entire mining sector through a comprehensive re-categorisation into Small-scale (SSM), Medium-scale (MSM), and Large-scale (LSM), each with specifically tailored operational, environmental, and safety requirements,” he said.
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