Chamber of Mines supports Green Ghana with more than GHC700,000

The Ghana Chamber of Mines presented a cheque for GHC778,657 on Monday to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources towards implementation of the next phase of the Ghana Green project.

Green Ghana is an initiative by the ministry to restore forest cover damaged by the activities of illegal miners.

The project was launched nationwide on Friday 11 June 2021 with the planting of over seven million trees of various species.

The ministry has now set itself a target to plant 20 million trees next year, and the Chamber offered its support to help realise this vision.

Receiving the dummy cheque at the ministry in Accra, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, reiterated the government’s commitment to greening Ghana and making Ghana’s forests a “no-go area” for illegal mining.

He inaugurated a joint committee, comprising technical experts from the ministry and the Ghana Chamber of Mines, to deal promptly with mining matters and related challenges.

Trouble-shooting

The committee will consider and proffer solutions to mining industry concerns and challenges regarding policy formulation and implementation, as well as directives and legal regimes.

It is co-chaired by the deputy minister of lands with responsibility for the mining sector, George Mireku Duker, and Edwin Acquaye, a member of the Chamber’s finance and budget committee.

The committee will also review the government’s concerns as well as its proposed strategic initiatives on the business and operations of mining companies, agree on the resolution of conflicting objectives and take into account the ramifications for the mining industry.

In addition, it will agree on an approach which will enhance outcomes for the state but not adversely affect the competitiveness and attractiveness of Ghana’s mining sector.

Swift response

Among the other members of the committee are Martin Ayisi, the chief executive officer of the Minerals Commission,  Benjamin Aryee, the ministry’s advisor on mines, Juliet Manteaw-Kutin, a member of the Chamber’s legal and legislative affairs committee, and Sulemana Koney, the Chamber’s chief executive officer.

Jinapor said the ministry sees the Chamber as a partner in ensuring that industry players’ concerns are addressed smoothly and emerging problems solved swiftly.

Eric Asubonteng, the president of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, gave his assurance that the Chamber is determined to provide the support needed to realise the objectives of the Green Ghana scheme.