Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, has launched a Community Mining Scheme at Tinga in the Bole District of the Savannah Region.
The launch of the scheme now paves way for illegal miners to formalize their operations on a small scale basis.
Speaking at the launching ceremony on Monday, June 22, Mr Asomah-Cheremeh said the Community Mining Scheme is a novel model being introduced by the NPP Government to address some of the underlying causes of illegal mining (galamsey) within the mining communities.
According to the Minister, the Scheme is an adaptation of small scale mining as provided for under (sections 81-99) of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
“It is yet another innovative policy initiated under the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo administration which is aimed at providing members of mining communities the opportunity to engage in lawful and meaningful mining ventures and ensure sustainable livelihoods for the beneficiaries of the Scheme.”
He warned that the Scheme is reserved for only Ghanaian citizens and with emphasis on host mining communities.
“Simply put, the scheme is of the people, by the people, for the people of the community,” he said.
The Minister noted that the scheme has the capacity to create employment for residents in the rural and host communities across the mining areas.
According to him, Government estimated that 16,000 jobs will be created by the Scheme “and its multiplier effect could be phenomenal. This aligns with Government’s agenda of job creation.”
He added that the Scheme will stimulate wealth creation and improve the local economy through the value generated staying within local communities in Ghana and not leaving the shores of the country.
“The Scheme will create horizontal, vertical as well as other linkages with the other sectors of the economy,” he noted.
Measures
To ensure a successful implementation of the , the Minister noted that key strategies have been infused into the Community Mining Scheme.
Among the strategies, he said, were the formation of a Community Mining Oversight Committee, adoption of the Small-scale miners code of practice; and provision of support services to the community miners.
The Savannah Regional Minister, Adam Salifu Briamah, said the Scheme will bring about a system of controlled mining, and go a long to prevent the destruction of the environment through galamsey.
He assured that with the Scheme, galamsey will be a thing of the past.
By Melvin Tarlue