Minerals Devt Fund calls for measures to sanitise mining sector
The Administrator of the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), Dr Hanna Louisa Bissiw-Kotei, has called on stakeholders in the mining sector to consider forming a task force on corporate social responsibility (CSR) tracker and polluter-pays principle (PPP).
She said this would allow mining companies to accurately declare their profits and also ensure those who damaged the forest and water bodies paid for it.
Dr Bissiw-Kotei said that the government was overburdened with the responsibility of reclaiming lands and water bodies destroyed by some mining companies and illegal miners, hence, the need for measures to ensure offenders were held accountable.
She also called for a review of outdated regulations that constrain the flow of funds and prevent responses to urgent community needs.
The administrator was speaking at a Stakeholders Forum 2025, in Accra yesterday on the theme: "Sustainable mineral wealth — Ensuring equitable benefits for all."
It provided a platform for key actors, including government representatives, mining companies, traditional leaders, local communities, civil society organisations, women and youth groups to deliberate on strategies to maximise and equitably distribute mineral benefits.
Collaboration
Dr Bissiw-Kotei also said that there was the need for collaboration among stakeholders such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Lands Commission and Minerals Commission to work seamlessly, develop and implement policies that ensure fairness, efficiency and environmental sustainability.
She further called on the private sector to lead with innovation while urging stakeholders to “invest in cleaner mining technologies, comprehensive land reclamation efforts and transformative corporate social responsibility initiatives to help curb the devastating effects of mining on the environment”.
“Private industry must also embrace radical transparency and profit reporting and actively participate in skill development for youth in mining areas,” the administrator added.
Distribution of resources
In a speech read on behalf of the Vice-President, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, she touted Ghana’s recognition as a global player in the extractive industry and a critical destination for foreign direct investment.
“In too many cases, those who live closest to the mines remain further from prosperity
Let's take a moment to reflect on the stark reality in some of the country's most prominent mining communities.
“These communities, despite their immense contributions to the national treasury, often bear the brunt of environmental degradation, poor infrastructure and the erosion of traditional livelihoods.
“Today, the youth in these towns are rising not out of defiance, but a powerful and legitimate call for justice,” she said.
The Vice-President, whose speech was read by Dr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Policy Advisor in the Office of the Vice-President, further called for the creation of mechanisms for regular consultations, conflict resolution and joint decision-making that reflect the values of trust, equity and inclusion.
“We must also be intentional about equity.
This requires a critical look at how mineral revenues are allocated and spent,” she added.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the scars of unregulated mining, polluted rivers, deforested lands and abandoned pits must give way to a new era of respectable regenerative mining, investing in reclamation, and enforcing stricter compliance with environmental standards.
