Accra, April 1, GNA – Government will organise a National Consultative Forum on Wednesday, April 14, to discuss new ideas, proposals and suggestions towards regulating and sanitising the small-scale mining industry in Ghana.
The forum is expected to bring together members of the Small-Scale Mining Association, Coalition of Civil Society Against Illegal Small-Scale Mining, key mining experts, chiefs and the media, for a two-day roundtable discussion on challenges confronting the small-scale mining sector and find solutions to them.
Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, announced this, in Accra, during a staff durbar at the headquarters of the Minerals Commission.
The Minister used his working visit to the Commission to acquaint himself with its operations and interacted with Management and Staff.
Mr Jinapor, also the Member of Parliament for Damongo, expressed optimism that the consultative dialogue would engender national consensus, devoid of partisan politics in dealing with the illegal small-scale mining menace, otherwise known as galamsey.
He said a Committee had been set up with an office to collate all memoranda, proposals and recommendations from individuals and organizations on best strategies and methods to deal with galamsey.
The Minister admitted that though a consultative forum might not be a sufficient platform to resolving the illegal small-scale mining challenge, it would be a good avenue to embracing all shades of ideas in order to adopt a multi-faceted approach in ending the menace.
The recommendations from the consultative forum, he said, would inform the Akufo-Addo-led government’s policy interventions in dealing with galamsey.
The Minister recounted some successes chalked by the Akufo-Addo-led government in its first term towards curbing illegal mining small-scale such as the training of illegal small-scale miners, introduction of Community Mining Scheme, and Legislative Framework in tackling galamsey.
He entreated Management of the Commission to decentralise its operations and services like the acquisition of mining licences and permits.
Mr Martin Ayisi, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, on behalf of management and staff, pledged the loyalty and sincerity of the Commission.
Some staff proposed administrative reforms at the Commission to enhance efficiency.
GNA