LANDS MINISTER SETS NEW STANDARDS FOR MINING COMPANIES; VOWS TO PRIORITISE GHANA’S INTERESTS.
LANDS MINISTER SETS NEW STANDARDS FOR MINING COMPANIES; VOWS TO PRIORITISE GHANA'S INTERESTS.
LANDS MINISTER SETS NEW STANDARDS FOR MINING COMPANIES;
VOWS TO PRIORITISE GHANA’S INTERESTS.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has emphatically stated that he will be hesitant to extend mining leases to companies that do not actively contribute to the country’s development.
This statement was made during a meeting with the management of Goldfields Ghana Limited on Friday, February 21, 2025, in Accra.
The Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to channeling mining benefits into community development and enhancing local content capacity.
He stressed, “We want mining companies to understand and appreciate their responsibilities to host communities.
”Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah acknowledged Goldfields as a vital partner in Ghana’s mining sector.
He urged the company to strengthen its local content initiatives, which he described as essential for translating the benefits of mining into tangible improvements for communities.
Touching on the Goldfields-Anglogold mining joint venture, the minister assured Goldfields that the government will expedite the process to create Africa’s largest gold mine and make Ghana a mining hub.
He also commended Goldfields for their social initiatives, particularly their focus on local content and sustainable livelihood projects.
Mr. Elliott Twum, Ag. The Managing Director of Goldfields assured the Ministry of the company’s commitment to developing mining projects that benefit the host communities and the nation at large.
He highlighted their dedication to environmental and social interventions, the promotion of local content, and enhancing business supply chains.
Mr. Twum noted that the purpose of their visit was also to extend heartfelt congratulations to the Minister on his new appointment and to reaffirm the mining sector’s commitment to supporting him in his role.
Mr. Michael Edem Akafia, Vice President of External Affairs at Goldfields, emphasized that enhanced collaboration between the company and the Ministry would lead to more sustainable improvements in the livelihoods of local communities.
He highlighted several social intervention projects undertaken by Goldfields in recent years, including the Tarkwa-Damang
roads, oil palm plantations, and agribusiness initiatives.
