The deputy minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has expressed the need for the Mineral Development Fund to develop effective working plan for 2023.

Mr Duker reckoned that creating an actionable and workable plan for the fund will enable the staff to be abreast with their roles and ways they can help achieve the purpose for which the fund was established.

The deputy Lands minister continued his end of year engagement with institutions where he has oversight responsibilities with the latest being the Mineral Development Fund (MDF). He called on the MDF with a message of commendations for good job done in the year and recommendations on aspect of their work that needs improvement.

Declaring the purpose of his visit, Hon. Duker disclosed that the visit forms part of his plans of employing a hands-on and humane approach in dealing with institutions where he has oversight responsibilities. With this, he promised of more such visits.

The Deputy Lands Minister noted a discord in the work being done by the fund and the public’s knowledge of it. Owing to this, he proposed that to bridge the gap between the fund and the public, “the administrator and his staff must make deliberate and concerted efforts at creating a relationship with the public, particularly those in mining communities”.

Mr Duker indicated that the fund must work towards putting out their work and making their presence felt in the country. He also urged them to undertake periodic review of their work and legacy projects to assess their impact on the society.

In his welcome address, the Administrator of the Mineral Development Fund, Dr Norris Hammah, stated that the fund draws its powers and responsibilities from MDF Act 912 which was passed in 2016.

He noted that the core duty of the fund is to distribute funds to the administrator of stool lands, Minerals Commission, the Ghana Geological Survey Authority and the Mining Community and Development Scheme and Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

Disbursement of funds by MDF

Dr Hammah gave a detailed breakdown of the percentages with which funds are disbursed by the MDF. He mentioned that his outfit has undertaken a number of projects over the years, this includes the establishment of a community center, educational facilities, health facilities among others.

The administrator of the Fund concluded his speech by stating the primary purpose of the Fund which is to “provide financial benefits to direct beneficiaries which is the mining communities”.

The Minerals Development Fund (MDF) Secretariat has disbursed more than GH¢500 million to beneficiaries of the fund since 2017. The funds were mainly channeled into development projects in the educational, health, water and sanitation, agricultural and other sectors in mining communities.

The Administrator of the MDF, Dr Norris Hammah, in March this year, revealed that for instance, GH¢30 million had been disbursed to carry out eight infrastructural projects at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) and the Department of Earth Science at the University of Ghana.

Additionally, he explained that part of the funds had been invested in alternative livelihood projects to help curb the illegal mining menace that the country was grappling with.