By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
Government will soon undertake a review of existing mining Development Agreements with the aim of optimizing benefits of the sector to the national economy.
A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, in charge of Mining, Mr. George Mireku Duker, who made this known, explained that the move is to ensure that the partnerships between Ghana and the investors are consistent with international development within the sector.
He has charged all Regional Managers and Mining District Officers of the Minerals Commission to be prepared to make input to ensure that any new mining Development Agreement reflects the realities since they are on the field.
Mr. Mireku Duker was addressing a workshop for Regional Managers and District Officers of the Minerals Commission in Kumasi.
The Workshop was participated by Regional Managers, Mining District Officers and other key staff of the Minerals Commission.
The event was to update the participants on existing, new and planned policies and programmes of the government to optimize the country’s benefits from the mining sector with the active participation of the Regional and District Officers.
This is in appreciation of the pivotal role of these officials of the Commission in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of government policies and programmes regulating the sector.
They were taken through the Minerals Commission and Mining Laws, some policies, regulations and challenges in the sector.
Mr. George Mireku-Duker, updated the participants on some key government policies and regulations in the mining sector which require the support of the Regional and District Mining officers.
According to Mr. Mireku-Duker, in order for Ghana to derive optimal benefits from the gold mining sub-sector, government will soon constitute an Audit Committee to holistically audit the operations and other activities of the large mining firms.
The audit, he indicated, will involve the active participation and input of the officers since they are on the field and have more information about the mining companies.
The Deputy Minister disclosed that, the Bank of Ghana will next month begin fully its new gold buying policy to enable Ghana derive value for its gold.
The Deputy Minister spoke about other initiatives government will soon undertake to reform the mining sector including a review of existing Development Agreements as well as the Mining Laws to meet realities of the time.
The review, Mr. Mireku-Duker indicated, is meant to proscribe the use of any floating vessel especially Changfan, for illegal gold mining.
On the Community Mining Scheme, the Deputy Minister disclosed that a ‘Situational Room’ is being built at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to closely monitor compliance of the concession holders and others with regulatory measures to protect restricted areas against encroachment.
He warned that, any excavator that moves outside its designated concession will be promptly identified and blacklisted.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Martin Ayisi, warned the participants that their responsibility is to the state regardless of which political party that forms the government and that the workshop is to empower them to perform optimally.
He said operations of the Commission are being decentralized with the appointment if Surveyors to augment duties of the District Mining Officers to effectively enforce regulations of the mining sector.
