The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has said the newly-established Community Mining Scheme (CMS) will have a positive impact on the Ghanaian economy.
According to him the six community mining schemes launched in “galamsey” endemic areas in the country are aimed at addressing the issues of illegal mining to guarantee more benefits to the communities than the galamsey would have impacted the members.
He made the assertion during a ceremony to inaugurate the Community Mining Scheme on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at Mfante in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
Touching on the safeness the scheme, George Mireku Duker is optimistic that the Community Mining Scheme will enhance a safer method of harvesting gold as it does not make use of the destructive element of mercury.
“The CMS is an initiative of the government to ensure safety mining methods 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” he added.
The minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem constituency in the Western Region highlighted that since the “CMS will employ at least 2000 persons” they will lay down proper structures to see to the smooth running of the scheme legally.
“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 by the law”
“We should be happy because this type of mining has been approved by the government. We’ll make sure that all the safety protocols are followed and it feels with happiness to see that a first aid center has been opened” the minister said.
Commending President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the minister of Land and Samuel Abu Jinapor for the initiative, he assured the people of employing expertise to insist that the measures stipulated in the act that regulate small-scale mining are duly followed.
He used the grounds and called for support from traditional leaders and institutions within the municipality to assist the government’s fight against galamsey to make the menace a thing of the past.
On the part of Municipal Chief Executive of Ahafo Ano North District, Martina Appiah Nyantekyi, she described the initiative as a development for the municipality.
Moreover, Madam Appiah greeted the news as a turnaround for the economic fortunes of the community and thus cautioned against the practice of illegal mining in the area.
The Minister was accompanied by Mr. Benjamin Aryee, Advisor on Mines; Mr. Peter Awuah, Technical Director of Mines; Dr. John Krugu, Project Coordinator, Ghana Land Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project and Mr. Nelson Ahedor, Director of Small-Scale Mining at Minerals Commission among other officials.
Community Mining Scheme Launch
Government launched six (6) community mining schemes in “galamsey” endemic areas of the counrty. The areas are within three regions including the Western, Ashanti, and Eastern Region.
The rollout of the scheme is expected to enable people to mine in a responsible manner and create 10,300 direct jobs and 21,000 indirect jobs.
George Mireku Duker made this known at the regular “Meet the Press” session organised by the Ministry of Information in Accra on Wednesday, December 8, 2021.
Establishment of Mineral Development Unit at ADB
The minister disclosed that government, as part of efforts to continuously support relevant players within the mining sector and ensure that small-scale miners have access to credit facilities for their operations, established a Minerals Development Unit at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
This, he said, will help tackle the issue of operational capital as the lack of credit facilities for small-scale mining operators has been identified as one of the driving forces behind foreigners’ involvement in the small-scale mining space.
