THE Minerals Commission has expressed its commitment to conduct regular engagement with stakeholders in order to ensure a collective drive towards sustainability and environmental safety for development.

Speaking as the commission prepares for the visit of the Western Region, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, in charge of Small-Scale Mining and Industrial Minerals, Mr Maxwell Yao Akpene Klu, said the engagement with operators and key industry stakeholders is strategic and timely, since there is the need for collaborative efforts to reset and sanitise the space.

The engagement, he emphasised, was aimed at harnessing inputs and opinions of the various identifiable groups to further the development of a sustainable ASM (artisanal and small-scale mining) and industrial mineral sector.

Stakeholder engagement in contemporary times, he said, is crucial for project success, building trust, and ensuring long-term sustainability by aligning organisational goals with the needs of all parties.

“What we have currently is our natural resource space and our collective duty to minimise risks, prevent delays, enable better decision-making through diverse viewpoints, and foster crucial efficiency, in many cases for the benefit of all stakeholders and the nation,” he said.

The engagement, which starts tomorrow, will include interactions with concession owners, miners, gold buyers, sand winners, quarry and clay operators, the Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), traditional councils, and District Mining Committee (DMC) members.

The ASM and Industrial Minerals sector, he mentioned, continues to spearhead the country’s income flow.

“This great achievement is accompanied by current challenges amid concerns about a sustainable future. There is, therefore, the need for sustained and collaborative effort by which stakeholders contribute to save the industry and the environment,” he elaborated.

Mr Klu said that with enhanced sustainability, stakeholders would understand their social, environmental, and economic impacts, promoting better, more sustainable practices for national development.

The country, he noted, is blessed with abundant natural resources; those entrusted with the sector have ensured resource optimisation, allowing efforts to be focused on the right areas, enabling more effective communication and resource access while remaining mindful of the environment and its safety.