Accra, Dec.17, GNA— The government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources will from next year, constitute a team to audit large-scale mining companies to ensure adherence to the mining laws and regulations.
Mr George Mireku Duker, a Deputy Minister of the Ministry in charge of Mines, made this known during an interaction with representatives of large and small-scale mining companies in Accra.
Mr Mireku Duker indicated that the purpose of the Audit Scheme was to familiarise and identify gaps in the mining industry and proffer plausible solutions to those challenges.
He gave the assurance that government would create a conducive environment for mining investors to make returns on their investments.
The Deputy Minister noted that the government was committed to empowering the youth with employable skills by ensuring that concessions and job opportunities were made available for them.
The stakeholder engagement brought together industry players from the large scale mining sector, the minerals commission, and the Ghana Chamber of Mines.
Mr Mireku Duker explained that the auditing of the mining sector would be done systematically and periodically.
The Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr Sulemanu Koney, commended the Ministry for the 3% withholding tax that has been scrapped by the government.
This implied that large-scale miners will from January 1, 2022, no longer pay the three-percent withholding tax on gold at the point of export through the Precious Minerals Marketing Company.
GNA