Traditional leaders in the North East Region have petitioned the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to formalise mining activities through strategic partnerships to promote regional development.
The petition, submitted by the Overlord and elders of the area, calls for collaboration between the Traditional Council, government and potential investors to establish responsible and sustainable mineral extraction in the region.
The traditional leaders said several entities had held prospecting licences for more than 16 years without commencing mining operations, resulting in economic losses and limiting development opportunities in the region.
They urged government to create a framework for mining operations that would benefit local communities while generating tax and royalty revenues for the State.
The leaders also said formalising gold mining would help curb illegal mining, reduce environmental degradation and create employment opportunities to discourage youth migration from the region.
Responding to the petition, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the proposed reforms were consistent with government’s efforts to eliminate speculative licensing.
He said a new mining bill currently before Cabinet would introduce stricter performance evaluations for holders of prospecting licences, including provisions for revocation following non-performance reviews.
The Minister said the reforms would make concessions available to investors ready to commence mining operations.
Meanwhile, the Minerals Commission has committed to taking immediate action on the petition.
Its Chief Executive Officer, Isaac Tandoh, said a technical team would conduct field assessments to determine the legal status of existing mining titles, inspect the concessions and develop an operational framework for the proposed partnership.The Ministry and the Minerals Commission have also nominated representatives to coordinate the implementation of the project.
Government officials and traditional leaders said the proposed approach could help replace illegal mining with structured operations while protecting the environment and creating sustainable economic opportunities for communities in the North East Region.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
