The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has intimated that the Ministry is determined to make the legalization of artisanal and small scale mining user and gender-friendly and rid the sector of illegalities.
Speaking during the virtual launch of the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project, (GLRSSMP), Samuel Abu Jinapor stated that the commitment of Government to ensure the efficient management and utilization of the nation’s natural resources is total and unwavering and so is the resolve of his Ministry to implement the project.
As a result, the Minister called on all partners to work together to see to the success of the project.
“I will, respectfully, urge all implementing agencies, to continue to work in collaboration and in good faith, to ensure the success of the Project. Together we can, and we must, build and formalize our artisanal and small scale mining sector, to deliver a viable, responsible, sustainable and environmentally-sound small scale mining sector, that contributes to national development without destroying the environment.”
Samuel Abu Jinapor
The Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, speaking indicated that the GLRSSMP will be anchored on the achievements and lessons drawn from the Ghana Environmental Management Project.
According to him, the project would geographically target two landscapes, the Northern Savannah Zone, including the Guinea Savannah ecological zone, the Sudan Savannah ecological zone, and the upper portions of the Transitional ecological zone; and the cocoa forest landscape, including parts of the Forest ecological zone and the Pra River Basin.
“The project will strengthen our system of integrated natural resource and increase the benefits to the communities in the targeted Savannah forest landscape.”
Dr. Kwaku Afriyie
Project to support formalization of small-scale mining
Dr Afriyie noted that if the natural resource extraction techniques and agricultural methods were not modified and landscape restored, the base of the country’s rich natural resources would be destroyed without thoroughly exploring its benefits for sustainable economic growth
“Our current generation has a moral obligation to restore and sustainably manage the environment for the next generation. We may have wasted time, being selfish to an extent, but we can turn things around and strive to achieve a better, greener and healthier environment.”
Dr. Kwaku Afriyie
Dr. Afriyie acknowledged the support of the World Bank to the government of Ghana stating that their approval of an amount of 103.36 million US dollars for the implementation of the GLRSSMP is highly appreciated and commendable.
The Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project, (GLRSSMP) is a joint World Bank and Government of Ghana project under an IDA credit facility.
This project was earlier proposed as the Ghana ASM Formalization Project (GASMFP) with the objective of formalizing the ASM sector, promoting sustainable ASM practices and building institutional capacity of institutions to manage ASM operations.
In order to build synergies for institutional collaboration and data sharing and show enhanced results, the World Bank merged the Landscape Restoration Project of the EPA under the policy direction of the ministry of environment, science, technology and innovation (MESTI) with the Ghana ASM Formalization Project of the MLNR into the GLRSSMP.
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