The government of Ghana has announced plans to reduce its share of the mining royalties from 80 percent to 70 percent, while doubling the community share from 10 percent to 20 percent.
At a ceremony at Ayanfuri in the Upper Denkyira West district of the Central Region, a speech read on behalf of the president, minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, said the 10 percent to the community will be given to the district assemblies to be used specifically for developing infrastructure in the mining communities.
This will ensure more value is retained in mining communities for development.
TV3’s Benjamin Aidoo said the occasion was the resettlement of some communities who will be affected by the operations of the Perceus Mining Limited in the Ayanfuri and its environs.
In all a total of 1,147 people including children from three communities: Esuogya North, Fetish and Chirawewa.
Perceus mining has completed the Edikan Estate at Ayanfuri-Krofrom at the cost of 30million dollars and accordingly resettled all the 1,147 residents near the company’s Edikan mine.
The estate has 201 structures including residential, detached kitchens, as well as religious and commercial buildings.
There about 29 public structures including schools, health centers, police station, and quarters for teachers, nurses and police as well as a fully furnished palace for the chief of the area.
The chief executive officer of Perceus, Jeff Quartermaine, said as part of measures to continuously promote community development and improve the standard of living of people in their catchment area, the company has established the Edikan trust fund to serve as a medium through which the company provides financial resources for sustainable development.
He pointed out that, the Edikan Trust Fund support in the areas of education, poverty alleviation, and health among others. He said the company has since 2011 contributed 3.9 million to the fund.
The Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, said the NPP government will be environmentally conscious in granting mining leases in order to ensure protection of the environment and its biodiversity.
“We will ensure that mineral revenues are efficiently managed for the benefit of Ghanaians.
“We will, in due course, enact a consolidated mineral revenue management law, similar to the Petroleum Revenue Management Act 2011[Act 815], to guide the use of mineral revenues in strategic sectors of our economy.”
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