The federal government within the subsequent few months will develop an indigenous framework to handle natural sources exploration within the nation, President John Dramani Mahama has introduced.
This comes on the again of presidency’s decision to not renew Goldfields’ Damang mines deal following the expiration of its 30-year lease.
Talking at a four-day ministerial retreat in Ada on Thursday, President Mahama confused the necessity for native participation within the managing of the nation’s pure useful resource to keep away from capital flight.
In President Mahama’s view, such interventions are obligatory to boost sources to develop mining communities and areas.
“We had just a little problem which we had resolved with one in every of our mining firms which lease have expired after 30 years and it was our need to take it over and use Ghanaian experience to have the ability to additionally discover that useful resource and let the profit stay in our nation.
“Fortunately, we reached an amicable answer to work collectively to transition that mine to a Ghanaian possession. However it leads me to what my ideas are that we should have an indigenisation programme for taking management of a few of our pure sources.
“And so within the subsequent few months, we are going to develop a coverage on indigenous participation in our pure useful resource exploitation and we’re not going to excoriate anyone’s concession however anytime a lease comes up for renewal, we’d wish to negotiate to make sure that there’s extra indigenous Ghanaian participation in these items in order that we will additionally elevate the sources to deliver prosperity to our individuals,” the President stated.
President Mahama’s disclosure comes a day after Minister of Authorities Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, introduced that authorities had reached an settlement with Goldfields Ghana Restricted for a transitional plan for the Damang Mine.
“Below the brand new association, Goldfields will resume open-pit mining in the course of the transition period, safeguarding jobs and conducting feasibility research to determine Damang’s reserves and mine life,” Mr Ofosu stated within the assertion.
President Mahama, in the meantime, has acknowledged that Ghana was at a crucial juncture, grappling with extreme financial challenges that wanted pressing and decisive motion, although the long run regarded vibrant.
The federal government, he stated, was elected to not assign blame however to seek out options to the urgent points confronting the nation.
On this regard, President Mahama urged his ministers and senior authorities officers to eschew opulence, lead with imaginative and prescient, integrity, and function.
“I problem this problem to every of you to steer your sectors with imaginative and prescient and integrity, champion innovation, make choices based mostly on details and knowledge, and never on guesswork.
“Spend public funds properly and judiciously, reject opulence and always remember your first responsibility is to the individuals of Ghana and to not your individual political survival, to not the applause you’ll get and to not your official achieve,” the President counselled.
On the theme “Re-Imagining Management in a Reset Ghana”, the retreat, supported by the United Nations Growth Programme is aimed toward equipping senior political leaders and public officers with the mindset, abilities, and information required to navigate advanced governance challenges in a quickly altering world.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
