SMALL-SCALE MINERS WILL FLOURISH UNDER MY LEADERSHIP – BAWUMIA ASSURES
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, as part of his campaign tour in the Western Region, addressed Ghanaians on his plans for the mining sector and defended his suitability for the high office of the Presidency. In his opening remarks, Bawumia indicated that although mining in Ghana has had its challenges, it also holds significant promise of opportunities if well-managed and successfully streamlined. Acknowledging the sector has been grappled with issues such as poor stakeholder engagement, lengthy licensing processes, lack of support for small-scale miners, environmental pollution, and inadequate geological mapping for small-scale mining (SSM) areas, he emphasised that within these challenges lay immense opportunities for economic growth, job creation, and sustainable development.
Government Achievements with Veep Bawumia
Dr Bawumia highlighted that under the NPP government’s tenure with himself as vice President, significant strides have been made to address the challenges and harness the opportunities in the mining sector. Initiatives such as online licensing applications for small-scale miners have streamlined the often cumbersome licensing process, reducing waiting times and bureaucratic hurdles. The retooling of the Minerals Commission has enhanced regulatory oversight and enforcement, ensuring that mining activities comply with environmental standards and best practices. The establishment of community mining schemes (CMS) as well, which has seen twenty-two legal CMS covering a land area of 3,574.94 acres between 2021 and 2023 alone, has provided opportunities for local communities to participate in responsible mining practices, he said.
Additionally, he pointed to the Alternative Livelihood Projects (ALPs) and the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programmes (NAELPs), which have been instrumental in providing sustainable alternatives to illegal miners and those affected by the sanitization of the mining sector. By diversifying income sources and promoting entrepreneurship, he indicated, these initiatives have helped to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of mining activities on local communities.
Furthermore, he shed light on the decentralization of the Minerals Commission, which has brought regulatory agencies closer to mining districts, facilitated better engagement with stakeholders and improved the responsiveness of regulatory authorities to local needs and concerns.
Bawumia’s Vision for the Future
Outlining his vision for the mining sector, Dr. Bawumia indicated he would ensure sustainable growth and responsible stewardship of Ghana’s natural resources. He indicated plans to maximize the benefits of Ghanaian resources through value addition and Ghanaian ownership while establishing a new paradigm in natural resource contracts. By prioritizing local participation and empowerment, Dr. Bawumia seeks to ensure that mining activities contribute to the socio-economic development of host communities and the nation as a whole.
Key aspects of Dr. Bawumia’s vision include formalizing and regulating environmentally sustainable small-scale mining, supporting capacity building and access to financing for miners, and promoting responsible mining practices throughout the value chain. By providing training, technical assistance, and financial support to small-scale miners, Dr. Bawumia said he aims to facilitate their transition from subsistence operations to formalized enterprises, thereby unlocking the sector’s potential for sustainable development and wealth creation.
Furthermore, Dr. Bawumia indicated he is committed to enhancing collaboration between the government, private sector, and civil society to address the challenges facing the mining sector. By fostering partnerships and dialogue, he seeks to develop innovative solutions that balance economic growth with environmental conservation and social equity.
Some policy specifics he indicated include: Licensing all miners engaged in responsible mining. Towards this end, Districts Mining Committee (including chiefs) will provide initial temporary licenses to miners; Deepening decentralization of the minerals commission and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure their presence in all mining districts; Registration of all Ghanaians in Small Scale Mining under the Ghana Small Scale Miners Association, with their Ghanacard; In collaboration with large mining companies, ensure conversion of abandoned shafts into community mining schemes; Opening more new community mining schemes; Placing District mining committees in charge of reclamation and replanting; Provision of pension scheme for small scale miners as done for cocoa farmers; Introduce vocational and Skills training on sustainable mining for small scale miners in the curriculum of TVET institutions; Provide equipment to government authorities in mining communities to undertake reclamation of land; Set up state of the art common user gold processing units in mining districts in collaboration with the private sector; Conduct an audit of all concessions with various licenses and new applications, to allow government to know licenses that have expired, and non-compliant with licensing conditions; Abolish or defer VAT on exploration services such as drilling and assaying, to encourage more exploration; Establish, in collaboration with the private sector, a Minerals Development Bank to support the mining industry; Establish (through the private sector) a London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) certified gold refinery in Ghana within four years; Ensure that all responsibly mined small scale gold produced be sold to the central bank, PMMC or MIIF and be required to be refined before export; Refrain from seizure or burning of excavators as long as miners mine within the limits of their licenses (e.g No mining in river or water bodies)
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s track record and vision for Ghana indeed make him the promising presidential candidate for mining communities. His bold, proactive approach to addressing challenges in the mining sector and his comprehensive vision for its future development demonstrate his fitness for the presidency. With Dr. Bawumia at the helm, Ghana is poised to usher in a golden age of responsible mining that maximizes the benefits for all stakeholders while safeguarding the environment for future generations.