Ghana’s mining future will not be measured by what’s extracted from beneath the earth, however by how communities thrive above it.
That was the imaginative and prescient laid out by Lands Minister Emmanuel Armah Kofi-Buah throughout the launch of the Accountable Cooperative Mining and Abilities Improvement Programme (rCOMSDEP) in Obuasi on Wednesday, August 6.
“We stand on the crossroads of transformation—the place mining ceases to be a curse on our land and turns into a catalyst for prosperity,” the Minister declared.
This units the tone for what he referred to as Ghana’s boldest step but towards reclaiming the atmosphere, reforming artisanal mining, and restoring hope to devastated communities.
Emphasising that mining ought to not be about “poverty-driven destruction,” Mr. Kofi-Buah painted a vivid distinction between the previous and the long run.
He described rCOMSDEP as a complete response to years of unsafe, unregulated mining that has prompted widespread environmental degradation and sparked lethal tensions in disadvantaged communities.
He acknowledged the lack of lives tied to restricted financial alternatives in mining areas, stressing that Ghana can not resolve the unlawful mining disaster “with weapons and violence instead of sensitisation and stakeholder collaboration.”
He introduced that, with the President and Cupboard’s approval, rCOMSDEP will introduce authorized community-owned cooperatives, centralised processing crops utilizing mercury-free applied sciences, cell licensing groups, and coaching to professionalise the artisanal mining sector.
“We’ll elevate artisanal mining from a dangerous enterprise right into a professionally regulated trade,” he mentioned.
The programme additionally features a main concentrate on talent improvement, particularly for girls and youth.
Mr. Kofi-Buah mentioned mining communities will grow to be “breadbaskets” via partnerships with the Ministry of Meals and Agriculture underneath a brand new Agricultural Development in Mining Areas Venture.
“We won’t simply practice miners, we are going to create innovators, agriculturists, tech entrepreneurs, and trade leaders,” he mentioned, reminding Ghanaians that “minerals are finite” and the nation should put together for all times past extraction.
He famous that rCOMSDEP will even reclaim degraded lands, turning them into farms, forests, and infrastructure.
A portion of mining revenues might be channelled into native improvement initiatives comparable to colleges, hospitals, and clear water methods.
“Mining revenues will not vanish into non-public pockets,” he assured.
The Minister emphasised that certainly one of his first directives in workplace was to disband the previous Neighborhood Mining Scheme, which he mentioned “was not really community-centred.”
He defined that rCOMSDEP attracts from classes realized underneath that scheme and from the Nationwide Different Employment and Livelihood Programme, however goes additional by inserting communities on the coronary heart of the mannequin.
Calling for unity, he mentioned, “Because the African proverb reminds us, ‘If you wish to go quick, go alone. If you wish to go far, go collectively.’ Immediately, rCOMSDEP is our collective stride towards lasting change.”
He outlined plans to roll out the programme nationwide within the coming weeks, with every cooperative receiving certification and coaching help from the College of Mines in Tarkwa.
He additionally revealed that large-scale mining firms might be required to help the cooperatives via logistics, data switch, and technical coaching.
“This programme is for all of us,” the Minister mentioned, calling on authorities, conventional leaders, non-public companions, and the individuals to return collectively.
“We should collectively work to show our waters blue and our forests inexperienced via accountable and sustainable mining.
“We start that journey in the present day. We should succeed. Now we have no possibility; it’s our obligation to future generations.”
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Feedback, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform don’t essentially symbolize the views or coverage of Multimedia Group Restricted.
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