Mahmud Kabore, Spokesperson for the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, has disclosed the government’s new Responsible Cooperative Mining Skills Development Program, emphasizing that 80% of the proceeds will directly benefit the workers and their sponsors.
In a detailed interview with Kojo Marfo on AbusuaNkommo at Abusua965, Monitored by Kumasi Mail Kabore explained the structure and objectives of the revamped initiative, which merges previous efforts under a more sustainable framework.
According to Mahmud Kabore, 10% of the mining proceeds will be allocated to a community development fund, 5% will be paid as royalties to traditional chiefs, and the remaining 5% will go to the government to support program administration and environmental reclamation efforts.
Kabore revealed that the government combined the former Community Mining and National Alternative Employment Livelihood Programs into the Responsible Cooperative Mining Skills Development Program to address challenges encountered with the earlier models.
“We realized there were issues with the two programs, so we developed new alternatives to sustain them by merging them into one comprehensive initiative,” he explained.
The program’s launch in Obuasi, though significant, was shadowed by tragedy following the death of eight personnel in a helicopter accident, which temporarily stalled momentum.
Kabore emphasized that the government is now focused on taking the program directly to mining communities to deepen outreach and engagement.
“Now we’re adopting a new strategy to let the message and the programme reach the doorsteps of mining communities. That’s why I’m here in the Ashanti Region,” he stressed.
Currently, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is in the Ashanti Region to consult with District Chief Executives (DCEs), Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives (MMDCES), urging them to identify suitable mining sites within their enclaves for cooperative mining activities.
“They are responsible for submitting site recommendations to the ministry. Upon receiving the list, our technical teams will assess the locations and engage landowners where applicable to formalize arrangements,” Kabore said.
He further highlighted that the previous community mining initiatives suffered from poor community ownership and were frequently controlled by political intermediaries rather than genuine local stakeholders.
“Many were merely registered in the names of party chairmen or DCEs, with real benefits slipping away from the communities. This time, the cooperative mining groups will consist of 17 to 25 members from the community, ensuring true ownership and preventing individuals from monopolizing the resources,” he noted.
On financial arrangements, Kabore stressed that 80% of the profits will go to the mining workers and their sponsors, while 10% will create a development fund benefiting the local towns hosting the mining activities.
In line with Ghanaian mining laws, 5% in royalties will be paid directly to chiefs, and 5% will support government oversight, including funding reclamation projects and community skill development programs for those not directly involved in mining.
Kabore also shared progress in securing land for the program from large-scale mining companies. Areas such as Amansie are under negotiations with Asanko Gold Mine, while Newmont Mining in the Ahafo Nkaseim and companies like Adamus Resources Limited in Elembele have already allocated lands for youth cooperative mining projects.
Other companies including Bibiani Asante Gold, Precious Minerals Mining Company Limited, and AngloGold Ashanti have also contributed land to support the initiative.
“This arrangement will reduce friction between large-scale mining operations and communities by clearly defining land use and ensuring equitable benefits,” Kabore concluded, expressing optimism about expanding partnerships with mining firms to scale the program nationally.
Source: www.Kumasimail.com
