President Akufo-Addo has charged players in the extractive sector to ensure that mining exists for good reasons and not to pollute the environment and impoverish people.
Lands and Natural Resources Minister Kwaku Asoma- Cheremeh speaking on behalf of the President at the ongoing first ever gold expo conference in Takoradi on the theme “ Promoting Zero Mercury and Responsible Gold in Ghana “urged mining companies to be transparent, promote sustainable mining that will lead to capacity building of Ghanaians and value addition.
“Government recognises the need to promote green technology in the extraction of our gold resources and in line with this the government is working to ensure that the gold supply is derived from responsible gold processes including the elimination of mercury contamination from our mining process”, Asoma-Cheremeh told the gathering.
He assured that government will reinforce Ghana’s commitment towards the Minamata Conversion by identifying and adopting affordable and cleaner solutions to eliminate the use of mercury in Artisanal and Small Scale Mining to improve livelihoods and build sustainable communities.
In a welcome address, Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah stated that the Gold Expo conference is a strategic initiative which seeks to create a synergy among stakeholders as well as provide an appropriate framework to bring transparency in the gold trade across the globe.
Nana Chair, “For a Region that is of much economic importance to Ghana; being home to 51% of Ghana’s cocoa, 98% of Ghana’s rubber, 85% of coconut, 100% of Ghana’s manganese, 100% of oil and gas, and significantly, 60% of Ghana’s gold, it is for me not a coincidence that this historical Ghana Gold Expo is being held in the Western Region on behalf of our dear Nation, Ghana” he told the audience.
He said the Western Regional Coordinating council will continue to provide a serene and reliable business environment which is aimed at making investors have confidence in the trade and in getting better returns on their investments.
The Brand sponsor of the two days conference Gold Fields, Executive Vice President and Head of West Africa, Mr. Alfred Baku also argued that government’s incentives for the mining companies, particularly, multinationals, are key to the development of the mining industry and to a greater extent, enhancing economic gains from natural resources.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Emmanuel Ohene Gyan