Samuel A. Jinapor
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, has called for integrity in all processes leading to proper mining sector regulation.
He said the mining sector mess cannot be cleaned if all stakeholders do not discharge their duties with integrity and transparency.
Delivering a keynote address at the first Student Representative Council (SRC) Public Lecture of the Ghana School of Law, held at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology last Friday, Mr. Jinapor who doubles as MP for Damongo in the Savannah Region said, “We cannot regulate illegal mining if for example the inspectorate division of the Minerals Commission cannot monitor the operations of mining or do their work on the principles of integrity and transparency.”
He also said, “We cannot regulate this sector if the Minister, Deputy Ministers and officials of the Ministry who have the responsibility to offer supervisory duty do not do so on account of integrity.”
He said, “We can only get to the right conclusion in respect of sanitising the small scale mining industry, if we work, all of us, Minerals Commission, the Minister, the Deputy Ministers, the Ministry, work in the spirit of integrity and courage, that is the only way forward.”
Speaking on the theme: “The legal regime of the mining sector in Ghana: History, challenges and the way forward,” the minister said “the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and I are determined to continue to work tirelessly to construct a lands and natural resources sector which is effectively managed, transparent, and anchored on integrity, thereby, contributing to the realisation of the noble vision of President Akufo-Addo.”
He said the government has allocated GH¢20 million in the 2022 budget to help in the fight against illegal mining popularly called galamsey.
As part of efforts to encourage and promote responsible small scale mining in the country, the minister said the ministry has instituted Responsible Small Scale Awards Mining Scheme.
He said the scheme which will have its maiden edition held on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, “to reward Small Scale Miners who adhered to the health, safety and environmental standards of mining.”
Mr. Jinapor also highlighted some challenges within the mining sector such as the lack of value addition, over concentration on gold and other environmental hazards which he said is as a result of lack of personnel to provide proper supervision.
“It is my hope that this lecture will set the tone for a broader conversion on Mineral and Mining Law, and perhaps the introduction of the Mining Law as a separate and distinct course at the faculties, and the introduction of Master’s programme in mining,” he said.
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