Explore, find and control - Dr. Bawumia's paradigm shift policy for Ghana's natural resource management
Vice President and flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has outlined measures he believes will address concerns about the management of Ghana's natural mineral resources.
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For years, since independence, Ghana's natural mineral resources, from gold to oil, have been largely explored and owned by foreign interests, leaving Ghana, the natural owners of the minerals, with a paltry percentage, which rakes in insufficient revenue.
From one regime to the other, the status quo has remained. However, Vice President Bawumia believes things must change, and he has made proposals he believes will change the game for the country and the next generation.
Dr. Bawumia, who first made the call during his major policy address in February, believes Ghana must fully own its natural mineral resource by investing in exploration herself so that the country can fully own its mineral find
Speaking at the Ghana Mining Vision in Sunyani, organised by the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Dr. Bawumia, while outlining what he will do as President to combat illegal mining, also reiterated his call for full Ghanaian ownership of natural mineral resources, as well as what he will do as President to ensure that.
"The overarching objectives (of his policies) are to usher Ghana into a golden age for the maximization of the benefits from our natural resources like gold, lithium, bauxite, and so on through value addition and Ghanaian ownership," Dr. Bawumia said.
"We want to invest by providing funding to the Geological Survey Department and the universities to explore. Once they explore and we find, I believe that the concession should be fully owned by Ghanaians. That will be the objective of my government, by the grace of God."
On promoting responsible mining, Dr. Bawumia restated a number of policies he announced during his major policy address in Accra in February, including setting up the minerals development bank to assist small scale miners into medium scale miners.
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"We would also convert many abandoned mining shafts into community mining schemes and also also involve our traditional rulers."
"We are also going to train and constantly orientate small scale miners, as well as introduce introduce curriculum at all schools to study some basics about mining, reclamation and mining."
"Through these bold policies, we want to raise our total mining contribution to GDP, and significantly increase or enhance income to government from all mining and related activities. While at it, we will continue to develop policies and stimulate investment activities and our potential in strategic and critical minerals."
Beyond exploring, finding and owning the minerals, Dr. Bawumia is also targeting value addition to Ghana's minerals right here in Ghana.
"Our goal for building a robust, small scale mining sector is to become a leading player in Africa across several chains both in primary and refined products while exporting high value-added downstream products."
"We have to do these, by developing policies that ensure overall investment attractiveness in the sector, whilst driving a policy to ensure indigenous ownership and participation in large scale mining."