Ghana is intensifying its push for value addition in the extractive sector as part of a national drive to strengthen local participation, promote sustainable mining, and ensure that the country derives maximum benefit from its mineral wealth.
Speaking at the launch of the Africa Extractive Media Fellowship in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Isaac Andrews Tandoh, on behalf of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, said the government’s priority is to shift Ghana’s extractive industry from raw resource exports to value-driven industrialisation.
“Value addition is a priority for us, ..that is why government has already taken steps to promote beneficiation and local processing of all our mineral resources, with strong state participation.”
Mr Tandoh cited the establishment of key state institutions including the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC), the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), and the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) as part of deliberate measures to anchor Ghana’s industrial transformation and resource-based development strategy.
He noted that under President John Dramani Mahama, the government remains open to partnerships that promote responsible investment and uphold environmental integrity.
“We welcome investors who are ready to do business the right way, without hurting our environment,” he added.
The Minerals Commission CEO emphasised that the media remains a critical ally in achieving transparency, accountability, and sustainability within Ghana’s extractive industries and commended the Africa Extractive Media Fellowship, launched with support from the Australian High Commission, as an important platform to equip journalists to report knowledgeably and constructively on mining, oil, and natural resource governance.
“The media is the pivot that drives transparency, advocacy, and awareness in the industry, this fellowship creates the space to engage the right expertise to drive the right narrative about responsible resource extraction and management”, the minerals commission boss stated.
Mr. Tandoh also highlighted the government’s ongoing fight against illegal mining, which he said continues to threaten health, agriculture, water resources, and national security. He noted that the Ministry is adopting a multi-pronged strategy involving stakeholder collaboration, strict enforcement, and adherence to international sustainability standards.
He called for deeper collaboration between policymakers, industry players, and the media to promote responsible mining practices and community development.
“Together, we can build an extractive future that is resilient, inclusive, and prosperous,” he declared.
The Africa Extractive Media Fellowship seeks to strengthen media capacity in natural resource governance across Africa, encouraging partnerships that promote accountability, sustainability, and value addition within the continent’s resource-rich economies
