Deputy Director of the Minerals Commission in-charge of Promotion and Development, Martin Kweku Ayisi has charged civil society organisations (CSOs) and the media to hold in check those responsible for the effective management of Ghana’s mineral resources.
According to him it is important for the media and CSOs to keep an eye of the minerals Commission which has oversight responsibility in ensuring that Ghana’s minerals resources are exploited responsibly and the needed income is derived for the benefit of the citizenry.
“watch the watchman” he stated.
He urged stakeholders to supports efforts and ensure that local content provisions in the LI are pursued vigorously for the benefit of the state.
Mr Ayisi made call during a virtual training organised by Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) and the Minerals Commission for CSOs and the media on the newly passed Minerals and Mining Local Content and Local Participation Regulations 2020, Legislative Instrument (LI) 2431.
LI 2431 which came into force in December 2020 is expected to address some gaps identified in the implementation of the Minerals and Mining Act, Act 703.
The new LI emphasises the employment of Ghanaians, non-employment of foreigners into roles which are not technical and non-engineering among others.
The Minerals Commission Boss disclosed that Act 703 is expected to be amended to respond to current industry exigencies.
Data available indicates that, currently 13 regulated and viable mining companies with 11, 899 employees with only 144 expatriate employees representing 1.2% of the total employment in the sector.
The Ghana Policy Advocacy Officer of the Natural Resource Governance Institute, Nasir Alfa Mohammed noted some improvements in the enactment including enhanced gender mainstreaming.
He urged the need for increased collaboration between media and CSOs for effective advocacy to ensure that citizens derive maximum benefit from local content provisions for resources that are exploited. Mr Nasir assured of NRGI’s commitment to collaborate with all stakeholders for improve governance systems in Ghana’s mineral resource value-chain.
