Bawumia: Government will ensure good governance in exploiting mineral resources

The vice-president, Mahamudu Bawumia, has said that the government will continue to ensure good governance of the exploitation of Ghana’s forest and mineral resources and will make decisions about the use of resources without fear or favour.

Dr Bawumia said challenges relating to the exploitation of Ghana’s natural resources are part of “our national life which must be insulated from partisan politics”.

Speaking at the second regional consultative dialogue on small-scale mining and deforestation in Tamale, he further called for candid deliberations in the consultative dialogues. He said the consultations must be devoid of parochial interest to help build national consensus to stem illegal mining and deforestation.

The paramount chief of the Kumbugu Traditional Area, Alhaji Iddrisu Abu, who was present to represent the Ya Naa, described the theme for the dialogue as appropriate. He called for strict enforcement of the emergency interventions by the government, including the deployment of the military to safeguard forest reserves and water bodies.

The theme for the dialogue was “Sustainable Mining and Forest Conservation for National Development”.

Abuse of trees

Alhaji Iddrisu Abu also bemoaned the dangerous practice of cutting down trees for charcoal, particularly economic trees such as shea, dawadawa and rosewood.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, restated the government’s policy on small-scale mining, which is to build a responsible, viable and sustainable industry which rejects practices that compromise the environment.

He announced that the government is formulating a comprehensive alternative employment and livelihood programme for illegal miners affected by the current clean-up of the sector.

He further restated the government’s forestry directive on the ban on rosewood exportation, whether legally acquired or otherwise.

Deforestation

The government, Jinapor said, has also secured funding to implement the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GSLERP).

The project will address the drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, among other challenges, and promote cultivation of shea.

The minister expressed the hope that the consultative dialogue will help develop workable measures to safeguard the environment for posterity.

The Tamale Dialogue brought together participants from the neighbouring North East, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West Regions.

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