President Outlines Measures To Streamline Activities Of Small-Scale Miners

President John Mahama has outlined a number of measures to streamline activities of small-scale miners in the country.
 
According to him, the fight against illegal mining had become a challenge and that it was for these reasons that efforts were being made to bring sanity into its activities.

As part of the measures, mining has been classified into large, medium and small-scale as part of a review of mining regulations in the country. 

The President was addressing a rally at Kyebi as part of his four-day campaign tour in the Eastern Region.

President Mahama earlier held a closed-door meeting with the Okyenhene, Osaagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II at his palace in Kyebi.

Measures

President Mahama indicated that small-scale miners would be made to form co-operatives that would consists of at least 21 members each to access regulated concessions for mining.

"By so doing, the co-operatives will be encouraged to save some funds for a period of time to enable them acquire equipment that could be used to reclaim the land after mining," he said.

Acording to the President, both medium and large-scale mining companies would also have separate regulations to guide them in their activities.

President Mahama further announced that the Minerals Commission would soon hold a conference for small-scale miners to enable them express their views on the new mining policy.

Projects

He said the government was concerned about the bad nature of some roads in the Kyebi area and promised to fix them when his mandate was renewed.

"We are happy that construction work is ongoing on some major roads in this area as part of the cocoa roads project," President Mahama stated.

On cocoa farming, he assured farmers of more assistance from the government to improve yields.

He further pledged the government’s preparedness to offer employment to 400,000 youth in the country under the Youth Employment Authority (YEA).

President Mahama said at the time the NDC took over the leadership of governance, only 58 per cent of Ghanaians had access to good drinking water but now, it had increased to 76 per cent.

"The government has not been and would not discriminate in providing infrastructure development to Ghanaians.

"We are serving Ghanaians diligently and will not be perturbed about what critics say," President Mahama stated.