Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Jinapor, along with the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, the Rt. Hon. James Cleverly, have launched a new programme to support government’s fight against illegal mining.
The programme, dubbed UK-Ghana Gold Mining Programme, seeks to eliminate illegalities associated with the small scale mining sector by increasing community resilience, promoting regulatory reform and supporting law enforcement. It will be implemented in the Ashanti, Savannah and Western Region.
At a short ceremony to launch the programme, Mr Jinapor revealed that the relationship between Ghana and the United Kingdom is historic. With this, he indicated that the two countries have been collaborating to execute socio-economic policies and initiatives that have significant impact and benefit for their respective citizens.
Also, the lands minister noted that the gold mining program is yet another avenue where the two nations will join forces on a worthy cause.
Furthermore, Mr Jinapor explained that the initiative will complement others being implemented by Government to fight illegal mining, including the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), the Community Mining Schemes, and other law enforcement measures.
To this end, he highlighted that the small scale mining sector is a strategic sector in the economic development of the country and that the several interventions being made by government are aimed at purging the sector of its excesses and promote sustainable and eco-friendly small-scale mining sector.
“The relationship between Ghana and the UK has been long-standing. The Ghanaian government has taken the issue of illegal mining seriously because apart from the impact on our economy, its impact on the environment is dire. The government has taken some very bold steps like NAELP, Community Mining Scheme to ensure that we have community miners who adhere to be highest level of operational measures.”
Samuel Jinapor
Lands minister commends UK government for initiative
As a result of its significant impact, the lands minister commended the UK government for the initiative, describing it as a “huge impetus” and boost to the fight waged by government against illegal mining. He assured the preparedness of his Ministry to work effectively with the UK team to deliver in the programme.
On his part, the UK Secretary Of State For Foreign, Common Wealth and Development Affairs, Rt. Hon. James Cleverly, commended the government of Ghana for the crackdown on illegal mining. He emphasized that the fight against illegal mining is a bold step by government to do good with Ghanaians and protect them from the negative environmental impact of illegal mining.
He revealed that the UK government is proud to associate itself with the battle by the Ghanaian government and will commit resources and personnel to ensure it works.
The new illegal gold-mining program will see the UK and Ghanaian government work together to increase community resilience, promote regulatory reform and support law enforcement. Also, the three-year initiative will see the UK government commit 3.9 million pounds to complement Ghana’s fight against illegal gold-mining in the Western, Ashanti and Savannah Regions.
Experts and officials from the UK government will work with a Technical Team at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to ensure the workability and effectiveness of the program.
As part of government’s initiative to crackdown illegal mining and its impact on waterbodies in the country, Mr Jinapor indicated that government has taken drastic, decisive and pre-emptive steps to protect the Black Volta from the destructive activities of illegal miners.
Following recent media reports of illegal mining activities on the Black Volta, he stated that government through the collaborative efforts of the Minerals Commission, the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council and the Ghana Armed Forces embarked on an intelligence-gathering operation to ascertain the situation on the ground.
Mr Jinapor noted that a number of operations have already taken place by the military to stop the illegal miners and protect the river body from further destruction.
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