I’ll empower small-scale miners to do responsible mining – Bawumia

The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has outlined his vision for Ghana’s mining sector.

He emphasized the need for effective regulation, support for small-scale miners, and environmental protection.

Addressing party faithfuls on Wednesday, February 7, Dr Bawumia highlighted the significant role of small-scale mining in Ghana, with approximately one million people engaged in this sector.

He stressed the need to transform small-scale miners into responsible operators to generate wealth while safeguarding the environment.

The proposed plan includes supporting the formalization of the Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) sector.

Also, the gold produced by small-scale miners will be sold to the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to become part of the central bank’s gold reserves.

Other key measures outlined by Dr Bawumia involve licensing all miners engaged in responsible mining practices and establishing District Mining Committees to issue temporary licenses.

Dr. Bawumia assured that as long as miners adhered to their licence terms, there would be no seizure or destruction of excavators.

Furthermore, plans include decentralizing the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure their presence in all mining districts.

Additionally, every Ghanaian involved in small-scale mining will be required to register under the Ghana Small Scale Miners Association using their Ghana Card.

In collaboration with large mining companies, abandoned shafts will be repurposed into community mining schemes, with a commitment to opening new schemes.