The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh has launched the Community Small Scale Mining Scheme at Nsiana in the Amansie West District of Ashanti. The scheme aims to address some of the underlining causes of illegal mining popularly called galamsey in the country.
The community Mining Scheme is an adoption of the small scale mining as provided for, under section 81 to 89 of the minerals and mining act 2006, Act 703. The scheme aims to provide members of the mining communities the opportunity to engage in lawful and meaningful mining ventures and ensure sustainable livelihood for the beneficiaries of the scheme. This scheme is solely for Ghanaians especially people living in the mining communities and not for foreigners.
At Nsiana, a predominantly mining community in the Amansie West District, 950 persons and 75 groups have registered to undertake the Community Mining Scheme. Launching the scheme, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, noted that small scale mining rakes in a lot of revenue for the state, adding that adopting this scheme will ensure that revenue accrued from the scheme will stay in the country. He outlined key strategies infused into the scheme.
The MP for Manso Nkwanta, Joseph Albert Quarm noted that it is imperative to legally mine in order to undertake proper reclamation exercise to protect the environment.
The Board Chairman of the Minerals Commission, S. K. Boafo emphasized that the Community Mining Scheme is not galamsey and called on the youth to get into the Alternative Livelihood Employment program being instituted by the Minerals Commission.
He explained that the program supplies palm trees to the youth in mining areas to plant in order to help them get other forms of employment aside mining. So far, one million palm trees have been planted.
