Former Minister of Communication Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has assured that the next John Dramani Mahama-led National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration’s new Youth-In-Mining Initiative will create sustainable and youth-inclusive practices in the small-scale mining sector, with a focus on environmental protection, regulatory efficiency, and economic growth.
Addressing voters in Boadua in Akwatia constituency as part of his five-day campaign tour of the Eastern Region, Dr. Omane Boamah now Director of Elections and IT for the NDC, explained that as part of intervention to streamline and simplify the processes for small-scale and artisanal miners, the next NDC government plans to strengthen and decentralize licensing and regulatory procedures, making it easier for miners to comply with legal requirements.
He said advanced technology such as geofencing will also be introduced to monitor and protect vulnerable areas like water bodies, forest reserves, and farmland from illegal mining operations.
In terms of technical support, he stressed that the initiative will provide young miners involved in responsible mining with access to essential equipment through a government-backed scheme called “Equipment pools” which will be established in each small-scale mining district to ensure easy and affordable access to mining tools.
Dr. Omane Boamah also hinted that a Small-Scale Mining Board will be established to regulate the sector, with a revolving fund created to provide financial support for small and medium-scale mining enterprises.
The initiative also includes plans to improve equipment financing, mining inputs, research, and post-mining land reclamation services to ensure environmentally responsible practices.
He told the gathering that, as part of the program, young people will be employed in a national land reclamation program involving tree planting in mining areas.
This approach aims to restore degraded lands through a “grow, adapt, and nurture” tree policy that will help reclaim the environment and create jobs for the youth.
He also stated that the next NDC government aims to increase value addition in Ghana’s gold sector by working with industry stakeholders to revamp local goldsmithing and jewelry production through the national apprenticeship program of the NDC many youths will be taken to acquire gold-smiting skills.
The Member of Parliament for Akwatia Henry Nana Boakye alias Okoyo bemoaned all efforts made by him to bring investors from Europe to revamp Great Consolidated Diamond (GCD) which later became Ghana Consolidated Diamond after the government retook over in 2019 from a private investor have not been successful due to ongoing court case.
He said GCD has the capacity to create over 1,500 job opportunities hence its current defunct state has negatively impacted the local economy but assured that the next NDC government will revamp GCD.
Former National Chairman of NDC Samuel Ofosu Ampofo urged branch executives of the NDC to shift the focus of the campaign to house-to-house identification and mobilization of voters to devise a strategy to ensure that as many as possible in every branch take part in the election to vote for John Dramani Mahama and NDC parliamentary candidates.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah
