Government To Implement Policy To Improve Small Scale Mining


Government is to implement a new policy that will allow Artisanal and Small Scale Miners to get registered and operate under better conditions. 

This is to minimize the effect their activities on the environment and also create jobs for the teeming youth.  

President John Mahama, announced this when he addressed rallies in Fanteakwa North and South and Atiwa East and West constituencies on his campaign tour of the Eastern region. 

The President said this falls within the Economic Transformation and Livelihood Empowerment program to take off in his second term. 

A Small scale miner is one who is not officially employed with a mining company but does so independently. 

All over the world and Ghana is not an exception face the dangers that accompany small scale mining. 

The practice is usually done by the rural poor in mostly developing countries. 

President Mahama, raised the issue in the Eastern region particularly because its environment is gradually being destroyed by activities of these small scale miners. 

The region is not only losing its forest reserves and farmlands and its major rivers like the  Birim are being polluted. 

President Mahama, said the Minerals Commission will from next year register the small scale miners to streamline their activities and also get them to operate as cooperatives to open up more opportunities for grabs.

The Eastern region is also known for growing large plantations of Cocoa but face issues of bad roads. 

Under the Cocoa road project, the region will see the construction of very critical roads like the Anyinam to Kwabeng  and kwabeng to Abomasu stretch. 

The Cocoa roads improvement program will run for a period of five years with an annual allocation of one billion Ghana cedis. 

It is aimed at improving road networks in Cocoa growing communities. The first phase of the program has already taken off. 

Meanwhile, the Chiefs and people of kwahu, enstooled President Mahama as Nkosuohene or development chief for his outstanding performance in the provision of socio-economic infrastructure. 

GBC