Dep Minister commissions Afransie Community Mining Scheme

A Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in-Charge-of Mines, George Mireku Duker, has commissioned a Community Mining Scheme (CMS) at Afransie in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality in the Western Region, with a charge on miners to practise responsible and sustainable mining.

The environmental-friendly, modernised and mercury-free mining module is in furtherance of the government’s quest to create employment through responsible and sustainable small-scale mining.

Mr Mireku Duker was joined by the Western Regional Minister, Kwadwo Okyere Darko Mensah, and some traditional rulers to launch the Wassa-Afransie Community Mining Scheme yesterday.

In his remarks at the ceremony to commission the small-scale mining project, he reminded the residents and workers that the CMS guidelines and safety measures must be strictly followed. 

The responsible mining measures, the deputy minister said, included reclamation of lands and complete avoidance of mercury in the process of mining. 

Gold kacha

To prevent the miners from going against the rules,  Mr Mireku Duker, on behalf of government, presented a mercury-free machine to the operators to assist in the discovery and processing of gold. 

“You must mine within the dictates of the licences issued by the Minerals Commission. It shouldn’t be the usual galamsey. Since this place is an alluvial concession, you must put in place measures for reclamation of every portion of land you’ll dig. Reclamation is a priority that must be traditionally followed.

“Government has recognised that the mercury is poisonous and harmful to the environment so we have mercury-free machines that will help you mine the gold,” he added.

The deputy minister said the mercury-free machine would help them to recover up to 90 per cent of gold in the ore body, compared to the mercury chemical that had an efficiency rate of 40 per cent. 

The deputy minister said the measures formed part of the quest by the government to sanitise the small-scale mining sector. 

While denying reports that the government was seeking to collapse the small-scale mining sector, Mr Mireku Duker reiterated that the policies and measures were meant to increase revenue and employment in the small-scale mining sector. 

He charged all persons engaged in illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, to abandon it since it was destructive and a threat to the country’s forest reserves and water bodies. 

The deputy minister also noted that the CMS would create sustainable and profitable jobs for the inhabitants and also charged them to protect the water bodies in the area. 

Top revenue earner 

The Western Regional Minister said gold was a top revenue earner for the government and that it was determined to develop the sector further. 

Mr Darko Mensah added that many cities and countries around the world were built on revenue from gold mining and that the community could benefit from the concession, if they acted in accordance with the law. 
In view of that, the Regional Minister said the CMS was further proof of the commitment of the Akufo-Addo administration to the mining sector. 

Background
The Wassa-Afransie Community Mining Schemes has become the 18th such scheme since its inception in 2021.
It is expected to create 7,000 direct jobs and 3,000 indirect job opportunities.