Small-Scale Mining Is Backed -#Ing. Wisdom Gomashie writes | Features

To the people of Ghana, this flyer is a big achievement of the NPP and we thank Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who instead of thinking he is exposing the government, have made me appreciate how he, his Manifestoless Party and the media house lack knowledge on matters of mining and its ripple effects.

Small-Scale Mining is backed by law as outlined in sections 82-99 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2006, Act 703, replacing repeal Small-Scale Gold Mining Law, 1989, PNDCL 218.

#POV

1. The figures down here is technically inaccurate in terms of definite numbers…

2. Even when adjusted to the appropriate figures, it still very true that, the current scale factor 1503/56 = 27, will and may still hold or even more.

3. What this flyer means is that, under the mills/mahama administration, it was difficult to acquire a license to undertake small-scale mining, hence, themed in Ghana’s mining literature as the period which saw the huge influx of Chinese and other foreign nationals into our mining space and commercialized illegal mining. As a matter of fact, it was under the NDC that, the High Level Mechanization of Illegal Mining begun…

4. A system where permitting becomes tedious creates the foundation of illegal mining and now clear that, the small-scale mining sector was highly unregulated under the mills-mahama era per Okudzeto’s figures which I am hypothetically assuming it is even right;

5. As a Student of Engineering and Mathematics and knowing how to analyze figures, the scale factor of 27 above means that, the NPP have

➖Significantly improved upon the licensing procedures by 27 times..
➖Significantly open up the legal business of small-scale 27 times
➖Leverage on the production of small-scale by 27 times, to feed lot of downstream industries
➖Initiated the Community Mining Schemes which is impacting and changing lives and taking people away from illegalities.
➖Developed a Minerals Cadastral Administration System (MCAS)
➖Taken steps to protect the environment

6. From 1993 when Minerals Commission was established by Act 450, 1993 to 2017, when NPP assumed office, there were a total of 12 district and regional minerals Commission office across the Country, Today, Nana Addo has added over 20 new districts with the intention to depeen licensing of small-scale mining comcessions and inspection activities towards sustainable mining… This is leadership..

Theory, Practical and Natural Resources Governance Experts will tell you that, ease in granting licenses for Artisanal Small-Scale Mining is one major step towards the regularization of the Sector.

Concerns of Environmental Footprints cannot be equated to, and not be blamed on a particular government, grating miners legal means to contribute their quota towards the socio-economic development of Ghana.

Yes, since NPP assumed office in 2017, Small-Scale Mining has been a great anchor of the economy contributing an average of 40% of total gold produced in-country.

But for the Small-Scale Mining Sector, Ghana’s economy would have collapsed, 5 million Ghanaians would have been marginalized.

It is a disgrace to Okudzeto Ablakwa with no knowledge in Mining to equate a licensing regime to a Mere Propaganda Tool.

However, we thank him, he has shown that, NPP has regularized the Space very well.

NPP COMMUNICATORS MUST BE UP AND PROPAGATE THIS.

NB:Pardon Typos

*Ing. Wisdom Edem Gomashie*
Mining Engineer & Special Assistant to Hon. Duker