Ghana To Establish Gold Village

  He was confident that the project will provide a major boost for SSM which produced a total of 1.43million ounces of gold (34% of Ghana’s total gold production  in 2012) would go a long way to assist  artisanal small scale miners to operate in a technically, economically and environmentally sustainable manner.

Hon. Inusah Fuseini made the announcement in a keynote address he read at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Ghana Power Breakfast meeting. The event brought together policy makers and other key stakeholders to discuss pertinent issues on sustainable economic development of Ghana and Canada, particularly on how to effectively tackle the problem of illegal mining in Ghana.

Hon Inusah Fuseini  reiterated that government will build on positives garnered from the management of small scale mining sector in the country “ to enhance the development of an efficient, modern and sustainable small-scale mining sector for bth precious and industrial minerals.”

Highlighting details of interventions initiated by government to develop the SSM, the sector Minister explained that measures have been put in place to ensure that geological data on all minerals amenable to small scale miners is made available to prospective miners.

Hon Inusah Fuseini intimated that the licensing regime had also been re-engineered to make it easier for Ghanaians to secure mineral rights while 100 areas totaling over 4,800km had been blocked for geological investigation  for alluvial and primary deposits for small scale miners. He revealed  that the Jappa area had already been proved to be viable for SSM is being licensed to prospective small scale miners.

“Illegal SSM are being formalized to form co-operatives  to be supported with requisite equipment and working capital, guidelines on health and safety have been developed to train  SSM  in environmentally friendly processing methods and District Mining Committees have also been established  and adequately resourced to provide logistics and assist  in the management of SSM  activities through the provision of appropriate training programmes” said the Hon Minister.

Touching on the dire repercussions of illegal mining, the Sector Minister  emphasized that unsafe mining practices leading to rampart accidents and loss of lives, destruction of forest reserves as well as farmlands cum crops which in turn impact negatively on food security.  He said pollution of water bodies with dangerous substances like mercury and cyanide resulting in myriad of health problems for local communities.