By Issah Mohammed/Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Aug. 18, GNA – Ga Mantse King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II has urged mining stakeholders to ensure that host communities are not left worse off after mining operations cease.
He said mining remained important to economic growth and national development but should be conducted in ways that protected communities, preserved the environment and created lasting benefits for future generations.
The Ga Mantse made the call at the National Mining Dialogue 2026 in Accra, where he said land was an inheritance, a source of livelihood and the foundation of communities.
He said communities remained on the land long after mining activities had ended.
“Long after the mining companies, the machinery and the trucks are gone, the land and its people remain. The land must be reclaimed, and that awareness must guide our deliberations,” he said.
The event was organised by Asempa 94.7 FM and its flagship programme, Ekosiisen, in partnership with Semmis DS and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
Held under the theme: “Mining, Local Content and the Catchment Compact: Rethinking the Social Licence to Operate,” discussions focused on how Ghana could maximise the economic and social value from the extraction of its mineral resources, without compromising the health and environmental wellbeing of present and future generations.
It was attended by government officials, traditional authorities, mining industry players
regulators and other stakeholders.
The Ga Mantse said mining concessions involved placing a generational inheritance in the hands of those permitted to exploit mineral resources and that such permission carried responsibilities.
He said properly managed mining could support the development of roads, schools, hospitals, clean water systems, scholarships, vocational training programmes and employment opportunities for local people.
The Ga Mantse cautioned against pursuing short-term gains at the expense of future generations.
“At the end of the day, the mine may close, but the community must not close with it.
“We cannot dig for today’s wealth in a manner that buries tomorrow’s future,” ,” he said.
The Ga Mantse said mining companies also required a “social licence” to operate, which had to be earned through responsible conduct, respect for communities and continuous engagement with stakeholders.
He urged mining companies to fulfil their obligations to host communities and build confidence through their actions.
The traditional ruler called for discussions on how much value generated from Ghana’s mineral resources remained in the country through taxes, local ownership, wages, procurement and value addition.
He urged stakeholders to assess whether mining activities were creating sustainable prosperity for Ghanaians and delivering meaningful benefits to affected communities.
The Ga Mantse called for stronger accountability in local content and community development initiatives, stressing that corporate social responsibility programmes should be measurable and aligned with the needs of host communities.
He welcomed plans to adopt a Catchment Compact at the end of the dialogue and urged participants to ensure that commitments made were implemented, monitored and periodically reviewed.
The Ga Mantse said future generations would judge current leaders by how effectively they managed the country’s natural resources.
“Our ancestors entrusted this land to us only for a season, and one day we must hand it over.
“When that day comes, we must be able to say that we used the wealth beneath our feet without destroying the inheritance above it,” he said.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporters: Issah Mohammed/ Jibril Abdul Mumuni
