Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation speaking at the inauguration of the Community Mining Project at Kobeng in the Atwima Nwabiagya South municipality
The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng has stated the commitment of President Akufo-Addo to ensuring that natives and indigenes of mining communities undertake clean processes in extracting mineral deposits from the ground.
Speaking at separate functions at Kobeng, Kotokuom and Mpasatia in the Ashanti Region where he inaugurated the specially designed community mining module by his outfit through the Interministerial Committee on Small Scale Mining, the Minister noted the determination of the President to regulate all mining activities to ensure they conform to best practices.
The Community Mining module, he explained is an idea by government to own concessions and allow its various Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as well as traditional authorities regulate its activities.
The aim of the module, Prof Boateng intimated is to generate employment for indigenes and persons who have skills or training in mining.
“The idea of this community mining by the President is to ensure indigenes who have been trained in mining do so in the right manner and thereby generate revenue for the respective MMDAs to run activities for the communities involved”, Prof Boateng posited.
DETAILS:
Prof Boateng revealed that the community mining module was specifically for the local people from the selected communities which will be determined by the Interministerial committee on Small Scale Mining.
Currently, he noted that the concession located at Kotokuom can provide jobs for about 15, 000 inhabitants when developed to its fullest potential.
He stressed the initiative involves a rigorous process where every detail that will ensure clean mining is undertaken.
The Minister indicated that both the activity and proceeds are meant for the development of that particular area that would be mined, adding that no foreigner would even be allowed to buy gold from areas under the project.
“The Community Mining project is for indigenes of these respective mining communities and we are determined that those who are trained in the activity are given jobs to do while we ensure revenue generated from the act are used to develop these mining communities”, the Minister stressed.
STAKEHOLDERS:
Speaking at one of the functions, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Atwima Nwabiagya South, Mr Samuel Awuku Amoah commended the President for the community mining initiative.
This, he said was an avenue for employment for the youth as well as retention of cash for the area which would be part of the process.
Nana Okyere Ampaw II, Chief of Mponua called on stakeholders to be vigilant in the monitoring of the community mining process.
He noted that communities selected to undertake the community mining project should be carefully observed so that they do not losing their waterbodies and vegetation cover.
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