President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has hinted that his government through the Community Mining Scheme (CMS) initiative has created over 5000 direct and indirect employment since its inception.
“In our quest to promote sustainable mining that grows our economy, we have tackled illegal mining (galamsey) through the expansion of the Community Mining Scheme (CMS) in which host mining communities are embedded into the mining value chain”, he emphasized.
He explained that the aim of such an initiative was to create thousands of new jobs in host communities lawfully, under the purview of the Minerals Commission and exclusively for Ghanaians.
President Akufo-Addo gave the hint in a keynote address read on his behalf by Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation at the 3rd Edition of the Ghana Gold Expo Mining Week held in Takoradi in the Western Region under the theme “Potential of Mining for Sustainable Development.”
He maintained that while his government was ensuring improved governance of extractives at the macro-level of the economy, he was aware of some of the efforts by the private sector in the industry, which have improved the livelihood and working conditions of the communities they operate in.
He, therefore, commended some key mining companies for helping to develop and bring infrastructure to various communities and mentioned the Gold Fields Tarkwa-Damang in particular who constructed a 33km asphalt road costing US$ 27 million and further awarded the contract to a local contractor to build it.
Western Regional Minister, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah also stated that Ghana was part of African countries that have suffered the deadliest consequence of the operations of illegal mining.
He recalled that in 2018, a report indicated that about ninety-one tonnes of mercury were dumped into the natural environment, polluting the land and water bodies through the operations of illegal mining.
“However, on Wednesday, 24, July 2019, the vision of the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo and the government abolished illegal mining and subsequently inaugurated Community Gold Mining Scheme at Bawdie in the Amenfi East Municipality of the Western Region aimed at formalizing Small-Scale Mining in selected communities in the country was birthed”, he stressed.
