By Kodjo Adams
Accra, Oct. 24, GNA – Mr Papa K.A. Empeh, a Mining Engineer, says responsible mining practices and effective land rehabilitation are essential to ensuring Ghana derives economic benefits from its mineral resources.
He said mining and agriculture could coexist if mining companies and artisanal miners adopted sustainable practices, complied with environmental regulations and restored degraded lands for agricultural use after mining operations.
Mr Empeh said this in Accra at a lecture organised by the Accra Technical University at its 10th anniversary transition from polytechnic to university education.
He spoke on the topic: “Beyond the Pit: The Cost of Gold on Ghana’s Farmlands and Food Security.”
Mr Empeh said Ghana needed to strike a balance between exploiting its mineral resources and protecting farmlands, water bodies and other natural resources critical to food production.
He noted that although gold mining contributed significantly to the national economy through exports, corporate taxes and dividends, its environmental and social costs required urgent attention.
He highlighted the need to ensure that the economic benefits of mining translated into lasting prosperity for communities while safeguarding the natural resources on which agriculture depended.
Despite the challenges, Mr Empeh said mined lands could be restored for productive agricultural use if rehabilitation plans were properly implemented and monitored.
He cited examples of previously mined and rehabilitated lands being used to cultivate oil palm, coconut, mango and cashew, demonstrating the potential for restoring degraded land to support local food production and livelihoods.
He called for independent testing by universities and other research institutions to verify the effectiveness of rehabilitation efforts and determine whether crops grown on restored lands were safe for consumption.
Such collaboration for testing, Mr Empeh said, would provide credible evidence of the outcomes of land restoration and strengthen public confidence in mining companies’ environmental commitments.
He advocated training artisanal and small-scale miners in environmentally responsible extraction and processing techniques to minimise pollution and make the restoration of mined lands possible.
Rather than relying solely on efforts to eradicate artisanal mining, he said, training and the promotion of responsible practices could help reduce environmental damage while supporting sustainable livelihoods.
He called for dialogue with communities before mining operations commenced, saying public engagement and compliance with regulatory requirements were important to prevent environmental harm.
Professor Amevi Acakpovi, the Vice Chancellor of ATU, launched the institution’s endowment fund to mobilise sustainable financial resources for research, innovation, student support and infrastructure development.
The initiative was on the theme: “Strategic Investment for Sustainable National Development.”
The Professor called on the alumni of the university, industry leaders, government, development partners, philanthropists and individuals to contribute to the fund and support the university’s long-term transformation agenda.
A speech read on behalf of King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, the Ga Mantse, called on ATU to strengthen the link between academic learning and industry to equip graduates with the practical skills needed to drive Ghana’s industrialisation and economic transformation.
He said technical and vocational education was no longer an alternative pathway but an essential foundation for building a productive, innovative and self-reliant nation.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Kodjo Adams
Email address: [email protected]