The government has launched the Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) in Ahanta West and Mpohor Fiase in the Western Region, seeking to formalise small-scale mining and ensure local communities benefit directly from mineral extraction.
The initiative is also intended to protect the environment and create a more organised framework for miners operating in the two areas.
Speaking at the launch, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Yusif Sulemana said responsible mining should deliver more than minerals. He said it must generate employment, strengthen local assemblies and traditional authorities, and improve the livelihoods of people living in mining communities.
Sulemana said rCOMSDEP would give small-scale miners a lawful and structured route to operate responsibly. The government, he added, was working with institutions including the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to register and certify mining groups and cooperatives.
He said formal recognition would give miners the regulatory support needed to work within the law, while helping ensure the programme could continue regardless of changes in government.
The Deputy Minister urged cooperatives involved in the scheme to prioritise residents of host communities when recruiting workers. He also called on them to respect traditional authorities and landowners, and to ensure mining benefits were distributed among local residents.
He further encouraged the adoption of modern mineral-processing methods to reduce the use of hazardous substances, including mercury and cyanide.
“Such technologies could improve gold recovery while limiting environmental damage, particularly to rivers, farmlands and other natural resources.”
Sulemana assured stakeholders that the relevant agencies would continue to monitor mining operations and provide support to cooperatives as they worked to meet the programme’s requirements.
Call for compliance
The Acting National Coordinator of rCOMSDEP, Mr. Sheihu Sidiqq, acknowledged the serious damage caused by illegal and irresponsible mining to Ghana’s water bodies, forests and farmlands.
However, he also recognised that small-scale mining remains an important source of income for many families.
Sidiqq called on participating cooperatives to satisfy the conditions for securing concessions and comply fully with their regulatory responsibilities. He said they must also maintain high standards of safety, transparency and environmental stewardship.
The launch in Ahanta West and Mpohor Fiase forms part of the government’s wider effort to bring small-scale mining into the formal sector and encourage operations that are environmentally responsible.
Nzema East in the Western Region is expected to be the next area to benefit from the programme.
Source: Lands Ministry
