George Mireku Duker
A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has commissioned the newly-established Community Mining Scheme (CMS) at Mfante in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The minister, who is in charge of mining and doubles as the MP for Tarkwa Nsuaem, said the Ahafo Ano North scheme alone is expected to create over 2,000 direct jobs.
Inaugurating the scheme in Mfante on Tuesday, Mr. Duker said the process would positively affect economic activities in the community and entire municipality and improve efforts towards sustainable mining.
He reiterated the government’s position that the Community Mining Scheme which is a substitute of the canker called illegal mining, popularly called galamsey, guarantees more benefits to the community.
He said the Community Mining Scheme employs a safer method of mining gold and does not make use of the destructive element of mercury.
He praised President Akufo-Addo and sector minister Samuel Abu Jinapor for the initiative and explained that like all the CMS set ups, experts will be deployed to ensure that the measures stipulated in the act that regulates small-scale mining are duly followed.
Mr. Duker appealed to the traditional leaders and community to support government’s fight against the galamsey canker, saying “The CMS is an initiative of the government to ensure safety mining methods so as to prevent the destruction of our environment. The CMS is a good way of mining gold so that our resources will be protected. We have established CMS schemes in mining communities. You all should be happy because this type of mining has been approved by government. We will make sure that all the safety protocols are followed.”
The Deputy Minister added, “I have seen an office that will ensure proper administration. We’ll assign a geologist to this firm to inspect and ensure that everything done is in accordance with the law. This Community Mining Scheme will employ at least 2,000 persons. President Akufo-Addo is not against mining. In fact, he loves mining but he is against activities that destroy our environment.”
The Municipal Chief Executive of Ahafo Ano North District, Martina Appiah Nyantekyi, described the scheme as a welcoming development for the municipality and warned against illegal mining.
She said that the scheme when well managed, could lead to a turnaround in the economic fortunes of the community and requires the support of persons and institutions within the municipality.