The Minster for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has disclosed that Ghana and Burkina Faso will constitute a joint technical team to, among other things, facilitate Mining Operations for the mutual advancement of both countries.
He made it know when the Burkina Faso Minister for Energy, Mines and Quarry, Dr. Bachir Ismael Ouedrago, called on him in Accra.
Samuel Jonapor indicated that Ghana was prepared to collaborate with Burkina Faso for the exploitation of the Natural Resources in their respective countries, for the ultimate benefit of their people.
However, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources noted that “the capital flight affecting Burkina Faso and Ghana in the area of mining is disturbing” and must be solved.”
He maintained that relations between President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo and his Burkinabe counterpart, Roch Marc Christian Kabore, will further strengthen bilateral ties between the two Nations.
Dr. Bachir Ismael Ouedraogo embraced the call by his Ghanaian counterpart on a proposed memorandum of understanding between the two nations, and added that, Burkina Faso and Ghana’s collaboration on mining connotes “the African is solving the African problem.”
The Ministers also discussed at the meeting Burkina Faso’s plans of setting up a refinery to add value to its minerals and the urgent call to join forces to explore other key areas of mutual interest.
The Burkinabe Minister expressed keen interest on how Ghana was able to formulate her local content regulations—Minerals and Mining: Local Content and Local Participation, Regulations 2020, LI 2431—in the sub-regions with Burkina Faso becoming a fast-mining destination.
A benefit of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), include getting young people of Burkina Faso to understudy their Ghanaian counterpart in the mining sector.
The three-member delegation led by the Energy, Mines and Queries Minister also included the Burkina Faso Ambassador to Ghana, H. E. Pingrenoma Zagre.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has on March 15, 2021 inaugurated a seven-member Ministerial Planning Committee chaired by the Member of Parliament for Atwima- Nwabiagya North constituency, Benito Owusu-Bio, to be responsible for the organization of the National Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining directed by President Akufo Addo.
