Dr Tony Aubynn (middle) in a group pix with stakeholders after the policy dialogue.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines, in collaboration with the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC Fund), is instituting a reward scheme for operators in the small-scale mining industry.
The move is part of an action plan to facilitate the mainstreaming of the small-scale mining sector in Ghana.
At a policy dialogue, major stakeholders in the mining industry such as Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Minerals Commission, Office of the Stool Lands Administrator and the Water Resources Commission, admitted that it was important to project and encourage best practices by operators in the small scale mining sector.
Participants stressed the importance of maintaining a comprehensive database of small scale mining operational areas for proper monitoring and evaluation of the sector.
Dr. Toni Aubynn, Chief Executive of the Chamber of Mines, stated that a select committee would soon be put in place to ensure that the awards ceremony is held in May 2013.
“We are challenged with illegal mining and the small-scale mining also has many challenges. We will pursue our objective of streamlining their activities. As a country we do not know the footprints of illegal mining but we need to know otherwise at a point we will wake up and it would be terrible,” said Dr Aubynn.
He stated that it is essential to encourage small-scale mining, adding, “We are not anti-small scale mining we are actually for small-scale mining.”
It is expected to be an annual programme that would showcase operators who distinguish themselves in the small-scale sector to discourage illegal mining in the country.
Ambrose Yenneh, Executive Director of International Center for Advocacy and Scocial Research, who chaired the function said “it is a major decision we have taken. It is critical to discourage illegal mining.”
The work plan seeks to campaign for the speedy promulgation of the National Mining Policy, decentralization of the licensing of small-scale miners, training of illegal miners in a bid to regularize their activities, as well as registering of small scale miners.
The policy dialogue was used to discuss how to finalize the national policy on mining, which is currently at the cabinet level and highlight small-scale mining as a serious national issue.
By October 2013, the Minerals Development Fund Bill, which is being considered by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, is expected to be finalized into law.
Mainly stakeholders expect that the bill would ensure the allocation of some resources from the mining royalties to the small-scale mining development fund for the development of mining communities.
They are also proposing that the current 20 per cent of the mining royalties, which is returned to mining communities, be increased to 30 per cent while government keeps the 70 per cent.
By Emelia Ennin Abbey & Esther Awuah