Adomanu, (A/R) January 26, GNA – The
government has given the green light for the commencement of regulated,
responsible and sustainable mining at Adomanu in the Adansi North District in
the Ashanti Region under the Community Mining Programme (CMP).
So far, 2000 out of the 5000 registrants
trained at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa have received
their licensed to start mining in a month while the process was ongoing to
grant the rest permitted.
At a ceremony to inaugurate the CMP programme
at the weekend, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of
Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation said the program was a major
step towards reducing illegal small scale mining, formalizing mining activities
as well as give all miners training and official cover.
“There were assertions that the president
was against mining that was why he banned it. That is not right rather he
despised certain issues including the involvement of foreigners, use of
mercury, which contaminated aquatic life,” he said.
“We are doing this to absorb young energetic
Ghanaians in mineral-rich communities who intend to pursue mining but cannot
own concessions”.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng stated that unlike the
previous practice where small scale mining was done haphazardly, the CPM would
be inclusive, well regulated with a dedicated central processing site
adequately equipped. It would stop the old practice of mining in water bodies
and the proceeds would be well allocated to all relevant bodies.
The Minister said a total of 328 concessions
16 mining districts had been demarcated, mapped and uploaded onto the GalamStop
software for the programme.
He said over 20,000 miners have registered
and received their ID card to participate in the CMP.
Prof Frimpong-Boateng advised the District
Mining Committee headed by the District Chief Executives to eschew partisan
politics in the distribution of concessions.
Dr Naa Dedei Tagoe, Project Coordinator of
the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) said the first pilot
project was launched at Bawdie-Dompim in the Wassa Amenfi East District with
approximately 1000 workers.
Aside the Adansi North District community
mines she said other sites had been set up in Akrofuom and Atwimua Mponua
Districts.
The IMCIM, mentioned had constructed two
landing sites on River Pra at Beposo and River Ankobra at Axim.
Dr Tagoe said GalamStop software had been
developed to monitor activities of miners and the life cycle of mining and
related licenses.
She stated that some stakeholders in the
sector were being reorganised to embrace alternative livelihoods.
She said 331 trainees, out of the first
batch of 500 had graduated from the 11 Community Development Vocational and
Technical Institutes (CDVTIs) as part of the institutional level training
programme.
The Project Coordinator noted that a total
of 367 beneficiaries had been enrolled at the community level training.
Mr Eric Kwame Kusi, the District Chief
Executive (DCE) of Adansi North said the district had 877 acres of land, which
had been demarcated into 36 concessions and were also receiving some technical
and safety support from Aglogold Ashati.
He explained that key criteria for
consideration were that miners needed to have received training, well-grounded
in safety precautions and had obtained comprehensive insurance.
The DCE appealed to the miners to adhere to
the rules and regulations as well as best practices and that the concession of
miners flouted the rules would be taken.
Mr Osei Kusu, the National Chairman for
Artisanal Scale Mining said they would support the CMP and appealed to the
government to help them with a technology to process gold without the use of
mercury.
He said the group was aiming at increasing
their gold production from about 40 to 50 per cent to boost the economy.
GNA