Awards scheme for small scale miners

The Ghana Chamber of Mines, in partnership with the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge Fund (BUSAC Fund), is spearheading a reward scheme for operators in the small-scale mining industry.

The decision is part of an action plan to promote the mainstreaming of the small-scale mining sector in the country. It is also aimed at projecting and encouraging the best practices by operators in the small scale mining sector.

Dr. Toni Aubynn, Chief Executive of the Chamber of Mines, disclosed this at a policy dialogue, which brought major stakeholders in the mining industry including the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Minerals Commission, Office of the Stool Lands Administrator, and the Water Resources Commission.

He explained that a select committee would soon be put in place to ensure that the awards ceremony takes place as scheduled in May 2013.

“We are challenged with illegal mining, and the small-scale mining also has many challenges. We will pursue our objective of streamlining their activities. As a country we do not know the footprints of illegal mining, but we need to know otherwise at a point we will wake up and it would be terrible,” said Dr. Aubynn.

He indicated that it is essential to encourage small-scale mining, adding, “We are not anti-small scale mining rather we are actually for small-scale mining.”

“It is expected to be an annual programme that would showcase operators who distinguish themselves in the small-scale sector to discourage illegal mining in the country.”

Ambrose Yenneh, Executive Director of International Center for Advocacy and Social Research, said: “It is a major decision we have taken. It is critical to discourage illegal mining.”

Participants stressed the importance of maintaining a comprehensive database of small scale mining operational areas for proper monitoring and evaluation of the sector.