<<Print>>

The government has given the green light for the commencement of regulated, responsible and sustainable mining at Adomanu in the Adansi North District in the Ashanti Region under the Community Mining Programme (CMP).

So far, 2000 out of the 5000 registrants trained at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa have received their license to start mining in a month while the process was ongoing to grant the rest permitted.

At a ceremony to inaugurate the CMP programme at the weekend, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation said the program was a major step towards reducing illegal small scale mining, formalizing mining activities as well as give all miners training and official cover.

“There were assertions that the president was against mining that was why he banned it. That is not right rather he despised certain issues including the involvement of foreigners, use of mercury, which contaminated aquatic life,” he said.

“We are doing this to absorb young energetic Ghanaians in mineral-rich communities who intend to pursue mining but cannot own concessions”.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng stated that unlike the previous practice where small scale mining was done haphazardly, the CPM would be inclusive, well regulated with a dedicated central processing site adequately equipped. It would stop the old practice of mining in water bodies and the proceeds would be well allocated to all relevant bodies.

The Minister said a total of 328 concessions 16 mining districts had been demarcated, mapped and uploaded onto the GalamStop software for the programme.

He said over 20,000 miners have registered and received their ID card to participate in the CMP.

Prof Frimpong-Boateng advised the District Mining Committee headed by the District Chief Executives to eschew partisan politics in the distribution of concessions.