By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Sept 20, GNA- The Ghana Chamber of Mines has advocated strategic planning and usage of revenue generated from gold mining activities and the exploration of other mineral resources to enhance sustainable development.
It stressed the need for the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies and communities to strategically invest their share of mining revenue in productive, income generating and sustainable projects for future benefits.
“We are appealing to government to release the monies that go to the Mineral Development Fund (MDF) for them to also release it to the Administrator of Stool Lands for it to get back to the Assemblies”, Mr Ahmed Nantogmah, the Director of External Relations and Communications, Ghana Chamber of Mines stated.
“And when the money gets to the Assemblies, they should tie it to specific projects and not use the money for recurrent expenditure but invest in projects that have sustainable benefits for future generations”.
Mr Nantogmah was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a stakeholder engagement, organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines and held in Bolgatanga as part of efforts to promote responsible and sustainable mining in gold mining communities.
The engagement which brought together traditional leaders, some state institutions, some district assemblies and people from the academia in the Upper East Region was to also empower the stakeholders to reposition themselves to benefit from the operations of mining companies particularly the Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (CNML).
The CNML which is a subsidiary of Shandong Gold, a Chinese mining firm, and a member of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has acquired the license to start an open-cast (surface) gold mine project in the Talensi District with an initial Life of Mine of 15 years and is expected to pour its first gold before the end of 2024.
The company is also undertaking prospecting activities in the Nabdam District and some districts in the region and is expected to go into large gold mining in those areas where gold was found.
According to the Director of External Relations and Communications, the Upper East Region was becoming one of the country’s gold and mining hubs and it was important to engage the stakeholders to benefit from their mineral resources.
“We have come to engage communities in the catchment area of Talensi and CNML to see the presence of the mine, how they can use that to develop the communities, create jobs, businesses to promote sustainable development”, he said.
On his part, Dr Steve Manteaw, Co-Chair of the Ghana Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEIT), observed that over the years, district assemblies of mining areas misappropriated revenue from gold and other mineral resources in their areas and did not invest for future benefits.
He said gold was a depletable resource and there was the need for proper planning and investment into projects that future generations who would suffer the brunt of the present mining activities could also benefit from.
“It does not appear the assemblies have any structures to be able to leverage the opportunities the presence of the mine provides in terms of integrating it into the local economy.
“The Assemblies need to plan their medium-term development plans not in a business-as-usual manner but with mine in view. The Assemblies must also be proactive and provide skills training for the youth in the area so that by the time the mine goes into full production, the skills will be available within the catchment area.”
Mr Kofi Adusei, Community and Social Responsibility Manager, CNML, assured the stakeholders of the Company’s resolve to ensure responsible mining and would invest in the local economy to promote sustainable development and improvement in the lives of the local people.
GNA