Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Kenneth Ashigbey, has called on government to strengthen policy certainty and ensure greater benefits for mining communities as part of efforts to promote sustainable mining in Ghana.
Speaking during the launch of Heath Goldfields’ five-year community development plan, Mr. Ashigbey stressed that mining companies can only deliver meaningful development when their operations are protected by secure and predictable policies.
According to him, sustainable mining goes beyond mineral extraction and must include investments in infrastructure, local businesses, job creation and long-term community transformation.
“That is when sustainable mining becomes a reality,” he said, while highlighting partnerships between mining firms and government institutions such as the Ministry of Roads for infrastructure development in mining communities.
Mr. Ashigbey noted that investors, both local and foreign, would only commit substantial resources into expanding mining operations, adopting cleaner technologies and supporting community projects if they are assured that their mining licences and concessions would be protected.
“Uncertainty drives capital away. Certainty brings roads, clinics, jobs and taxes,” he stated.
He said mining firms operating under the Ghana Chamber of Mines are committed to working closely with chiefs, local assemblies and residents to design projects that would outlive the lifespan of the mines.
Mr. Ashigbey also renewed calls for the passage of a Mining Revenue Management Act that would allocate at least 30 per cent of royalties and mineral revenues directly to host communities for development projects.
According to him, mining revenues should be strategically invested into local industrialisation and value addition initiatives, including granite processing factories, activated carbon plants, gold refineries, assay laboratories and equipment manufacturing facilities.
“Let us use these resources to build a generation of Ghanaian entrepreneurs,” he said.
The Chamber of Mines CEO further appealed to government to extend development agreements and stability agreements to indigenous mining companies, arguing that equal treatment would encourage healthy competition and deepen local participation in the mining value chain.
He described Heath Goldfields as a strategic national asset capable of contributing significantly to community upliftment and national development.
“We want to ensure that as we mine gold beneath the ground, we build enduring value above the ground,” he added.
Mr. Ashigbey expressed confidence that the implementation of Heath Goldfields’ development plan would support sustainable growth in mining communities and improve livelihoods over the long term.
He also urged traditional leaders, local authorities and government institutions to support the initiative to ensure its success beyond the five-year implementation period.
Source:www.kumasimail.com
