GhanaStar
  • News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Music
No Result
View All Result
GhanaStar
  • News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Music
No Result
View All Result
GhanaStar
No Result
View All Result
Home Top Stories

Gov’t Urged To Decentralise Minerals Commission Operations

January 26, 2017
in Top Stories
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The government has been called upon to decentralised the operations of the Minerals Commission (MC) in the mining related areas to help regulate illegal mining activities in the country.

You Might Also Like

Prominent Ghanaian Leaders and Clergy Honor Late Apostle Dr. Michael Kwabena Ntumy at State House Funeral

Vice President Bawumia Shares Inspiring Journey from Oxford University to Political Success

The Diverse Currencies of Africa: Impact on Economic Growth

“The commission should also be empowered to license and provide training to illegal miners to prevent negative attributes associated with illegal mining popularly known as ‘galamsey’ activities,” the Head of Policy Unit and Energy Policy Advisor at the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), Dr Ishmael Ackah said.

Dr Ackah, who made the call in an interview with the GRAPHIC BUSINESS in Accra, underlined that the commission placing its office at the mining related areas would ensure the country benefit from operations of galamsey operators.

The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) stated in its manifesto that it would reconstruct the small-scale mining industry so that its activities could take place within guidelines set up under the appropriate regulations.

This will enable small-scale miners to work and earn their livelihoods in a regulated, secure and lawful environment.

Dr Ackah said the mining sector remained a major backbone of Ghana’s economy as the leading foreign exchange earner for the country.

“It is not only the largest tax contributor, it also accounts for about 40 per cent of mechanised exports, while attracting foreign investments running into hundreds of millions of US dollars annually,” he said.

The policy advisor said it could not be disputed that mining done on any scale impacts on the environment and that is why there are regular checks by designated authorities to ensure that mining concerns work according to laid down rules.

According to him, unregulated mining, however, escapes all the necessary checks and results in massive destruction of the environment.

For a long time, he said illegal mining had become the bane of many communities, with the communities resigning themselves to the destruction visited on their water bodies and farmlands because the authorities are at their wits’ end concerning the appropriate steps to take to halt the menace.

He noted that many communities were worried because the uses of chemicals even by the big companies were sometimes not controlled and it end up polluting their rivers.

“Thus, even if the activities of the bigger mining companies are fraught with accidental spillage of dangerous and harmful chemicals, then what about the illegal miners who do not follow any guidelines, hence the need to license and regulates their activities,” he added.

As a result, most of the country’s water bodies have been destroyed beyond recovery.

It has been severally reported in the media that illegal mining operations have become so complex and sophisticated and involve foreigners and their local collaborators who use very sophisticated weapons to ward off security personnel mandated by the government to stop their operations and people considered as intruders.

Although the Ghana Chamber of Mines has made several attempts to regularise the operations of small-scale miners to be able to monitor their activities, that has not worked to a large extend.

Dr Ackah said one of the reasons ascribed for the inability to stop illegal mining was the calibre of people behind its operations who include some highly placed officials, as well as some traditional authorities.

Going forward, he said all stakeholders needed to work together to stop the canker from destroying the environment.

Join GhanaStar.com to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.

(Via: NewsGhana)

Tags: accraAfrica Centrechemicalsdangerous and harmful chemicalseconomyEnergy Policy AdvisorEnvironmental crimegalamseyghanaheadIllegal Miningillegal mining activitiesillegal mining operationsIshmael AckahMinerals CommissionminingNew Patriotic Party (NPP)Policy AdvisorPolicy Unitunregulated mining

Related News

Prominent Ghanaian Leaders and Clergy Honor Late Apostle Dr. Michael Kwabena Ntumy at State House Funeral

Prominent Ghanaian Leaders and Clergy Honor Late Apostle Dr. Michael Kwabena Ntumy at State House Funeral

by ghanastar
February 25, 2024
0

In a poignant ceremony held on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at the Forecourt of the State House, hundreds of mourners...

Vice President Bawumia Shares Inspiring Journey from Oxford University to Political Success

Vice President Bawumia Shares Inspiring Journey from Oxford University to Political Success

by ghanastar
June 17, 2023
0

In a heartfelt revelation of his life's journey, the Vice President of the Republic, His Excellency Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, spoke...

The Diverse Currencies of Africa: Impact on Economic Growth

The Diverse Currencies of Africa: Impact on Economic Growth

by ghanastar
June 17, 2023
0

Africa, a continent rich in cultural diversity, is home to a vast array of currencies. With 54 recognized countries, each...

Suicide at Aburi Botanical Gardens: Man Found Dead

Suicide at Aburi Botanical Gardens: Man Found Dead

by ghanastar
January 14, 2023
0

A man, believed to be in his fifties, has died by suicide in the Aburi Botanical Gardens in the Eastern...

Next Post

Jackie Appiah, Dumas, Gloria Sarfo Dropped From Cannes 2017 Trip

Asanko Gold Makes New Management Appointment

Categories

  • Africa & World
  • African Music Lyrics Directory
  • Business
  • Business Directory
  • celebrities
  • Computing
  • Diaspora
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Feature
  • Featured
  • Ghana Elections 2016
  • Headlines
  • Health
  • International
  • Internet
  • Jobs
  • lifestyle
  • Music
  • News
  • Offbeat
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Profiles
  • Religion
  • Security
  • Seth Terkper
  • Smart Home
  • Social Networks
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Top Stories
  • World News

Tags

accra addo africa Association football Banks - NEC business Business_Finance chairman Donald Trump economy education Entertainment_Culture environment Geography of Africa ghana Ghanaian people government Government of Ghana Human Interest John Dramani Mahama john mahama Law_Crime mahama minister MPs elected in the Ghanaian parliamentary election Nana Addo Nana Addo Dankwa Nana Akufo-Addo National Democratic Congress National Democratic Congress (NDC) New Patriotic Party New Patriotic Party (NPP) nigeria politics Politics of Ghana president Social Issues Social Media Social Media & Networking sports United Kingdom United Nations United States Vice President War_Conflict

Recent Posts

  • Government of Ghana Unveils Official Portraits of President John Dramani Mahama and Vice President Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
  • Who Is the Woman (Sheena Gakpe) in Sarkodie’s Latest Hit “No Sir” and Why Everyone Is Talking about It
List of Ghana Holidays for 2020
Ghana Geocoding
Ghana Cedis Exchange API
Ghana Maps Service
Toyota Cars Auto Auction History
  • African Music Lyrics Directory
  • Business Directory
  • Diaspora
  • Top Stories

All rights reserved © 2021 GhanaStar.com

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Music

All rights reserved © 2021 GhanaStar.com