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

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

The engagement, he said, was aimed at harnessing inputs and opinions of the various identifiable groups to further the development of a sustainable Artenal Small-Scale Mining (ASM) and the Industrial Minerals sector.

Goals

Stakeholder engagement in contemporary times, he said, was 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 support, ultimately increasing efficiency and, in many cases, for the benefit of all stakeholders and the nation,” he said.

The engagement, which starts today (Tuesday, Feb. 24), will see engagements with concession owners, miners, gold buyers, sand winners, quarry and clay operators, Ghana National Association of Small-Scale Miners (GNASSM), the traditional council and District Mining Committee (DMC) members.

Industrial Minerals

He said the ASM and Industrial Minerals sector continued 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 added.

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

The country, he said, was blessed; therefore, those entrusted with the space had ensured resource optimisation that guaranteed that efforts were focused on the right things, allowing for more effective communication and resource access while mindful of the environment and its safety.