By Nicholas Ose-Wusu
Government says it is in discussions with the Agricultural Development Bank, ADB to create a special Unit that will offer credit facilities at an affordable cost to Small Scale Miners and Firms.
The facility, which would serve as capital for Small Scale Miners or firms, is to empower Ghanaian citizens to go into legal and responsible mining without the temptation of fronting for foreign nationals into the restricted economic venture. A Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, disclosed this at Mfante in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of Ashanti.
The Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister was inaugurating and handing over a Community Mining concession to the Mfante community near Tepa in the Ahafo Ano North Municipality of the Ashanti region.
The concession, measuring about 50 acres, is under the management of ‘Nsuro Group of Companies’ a wholly Ghanaian owned company, and is part of an old concession of another indigenous medium scale mining entity, Supercare Company Limited.
Among the Community Mining Schemes handed over in the Ashanti region by the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry so far, this mining site appears the most well organised for the beginning of mining activities.
This site already has temporary offices, Changing Rooms, Gold Room, reliable water supply system, washrooms, First Aid Centre among other required facilities.
Another first score at this site is the availability of the Mercury-free Gold extracting machine known as ‘Gold Cacha’ that has the capacity to detect about 99% of Gold from the soil.
At the inaugural and handing over ceremony were traditional leaders from communities within the concession catchment, the miners and others.
A Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources responsible for mines, George Mireku Duker, emphasised that Small Scale Mining is the preserve of only Ghanaian citizens.
To stop the involvement of some Ghanaians fronting for foreigners in small scale mining, the Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister disclosed that government is working out an incentive package for indigenes into the sector.
Mr. Mireku Duker said to encourage responsible Small-Scale Mining in the country, the government has developed an award scheme to recognize and appreciate miners and firms employing best practises to protect the environment especially water bodies and the forest.
The Ahafo Ano North Municipal Chief Executive, Madam Martina Appiah Nyantakyi, noted that the inauguration and handing over of the Community Mining Concession at Mfante is government’s fulfilment to replace galamsey with responsible mining for jobs and wealth creation.