The National Coalition of Mining (NCOM), a network of non-governmental organisations have called on the Minerals Commission to empower communities affected by mining activities to understand the issues involved in the payment of compensation.
It said the Minerals and Mining Act provided for some principles of compensation but practical difficulties and lack of clarity of certain
concepts made it impossible for communities to realise the benefits.
Mr Richard Amankwah Kuffuor, a spokesman of NCOM, made the call at the end of a two-day Strategic Meeting organised for communities affected by mining activities in Accra on Thursday.
He explained that the minimum compensation rates stipulated by the Valuation Board were too low, adding that the problem was compounded by the lack of clear cut procedures for negotiating for compensation.
Mr Kuffuor said the organisations had examined the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment and had observed that it had become more of an instrument for oppression and manipulation.
With regard to the salt industry, he urged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to develop specific regulations to address the
peculiarities in the industry.
Mr Kuffuor said there should be the launch of a comprehensive programme to empower community participation in both decisions about salt as
well as ownership and production.
He suggested a National Stakeholders Conference on the Salt Industry and the emerging Oil and Gas sector of the country to generate quality ideas for the review and support of the development of specific regulations for the industry.
Mr Kuffuor called on government to consider the need for protecting community livelihood and enhanced rural development.
"The meeting examined the salt mining sub-sector and observed that despite its potentials to the emerging oil and gas sector and the national economy, a myriad of problems affects the full realisation of this potential," he added.