<<Print>>

Africa can improve its pace of economic growth and address her infrastructure deficit, if the significant mineral resources are managed within the framework of good governance, Mr Mike Hammah, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has said. He said Africa�s abundant mineral resources offered potential wealth creation opportunities for socio -economic development saying � however the rate at which mining is catalyzing long term, broad based development on the continent through the actualization of the linkage opportunities-backward, forward and lateral- has been and continues to be rather slow.� Mr Hammah said this at four days conference on Civil Society Organisation and the Realization of Africa Mining Vision organised by Third World Network in Accra. The conference was to deepen understanding of the African Mining Vision and related policy documents as well as provide input into the Business Plan of the African Minerals Development Centre. The conference would be used to make input and contributions to the business plan of the African Minerals Development Centre (AMDC), the coordination body for the implementation of decisions towards the realisation of the Mining Vision. It also aims at generating common understanding about opportunities and challenges around the continent�s mining reform agenda. Fifty participants drawn from representatives of African civil society networks, coalitions and social constituencies from labour movements, mining affected groups, artisanal and small scale mining organisations, policy officials, and gender groups would attend the meeting. Mr Hammah said until the Continent developed its local industries to supply significant proportions of inputs needed by the mining sector and add value to the raw minerals produced, it would be difficult to optimize contribution from the exploitation of Africa�s minerals.