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The Deputy Lands and Natural Resources Minister, George Mireku Duker, has commissioned the Wassa Afransie Community Mines expected to create over 1,000 jobs.
The Afransie community Mine marks the 18th Community Mine to be established in the country since its inception in 2021 and spread across the Western, Western North, Eastern, Ashanti, Ahafo and Upper East regions.
Speaking to Citi News during the commissioning, George Mireku Duker, said the community gold mines scheme together with other small-scale gold mines in the country have already created over a million jobs which are rare for major companies in the country to create, hence will continue to leverage on gold to create more jobs.
“People are so enthused and ready to work. How do you create job opportunities? It is by taking advantage of what you have, and we are endowed as a country with natural resources like Gold. So how do we leverage the gold for people to benefit responsibly? This is a way or mechanism that we are using to regularise the small-scale mining sector.”
He added, “Once we’ve opened or commissioned, then the minerals commission will have that mandate to come and direct them as to the norms and also to know the employment opportunities that this concession is creating as I indicated creating. As I indicated, it is creating not less than 1,000 employment opportunities and that is great. How many companies around will create one million jobs, it is very rare to come by, so it’s a great opportunity for the people of this area. What I’m urging them is to mine responsibly, follow all the rudiment in mining”.
He added that government intends to outdoor more community mines as long as it satisfies required environmental conditions.
“If we go through your document and the place befits that purpose, why not? We will get it commissioned. That is why we are here, and the commission was established by law. We have also established the district mining committees which are to see to the proper management and all mining in that jurisdiction. So we are ready and if the community is ready, they have the concession which is not in the forest reserve or a river body, we will be ready to commission it,” he indicated.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah, who also spoke at the commissioning said gold is a top revenue earner for the government and that the government is determined to develop the sector further.
He added that many cities and countries around the world were built on revenue from gold mining and that the community could benefit from the concession if they act in accordance with the law.
Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah said the Community Mining Scheme is further proof of the commitment of the Akufo-Addo administration to the mining sector.
Speaking on the anticipated benefits of the community mines, the District Chief Executive of Amenfi West Municipality, Frederick Korankye said its community mining scheme provides a one-stop avenue for revenue collection for the municipality’s development.
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