News
Lands Ministry grants 55 small scale mining licences this month
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has, in this month, issued 55 small scale mining licences to beneficiaries of the Community Mining Scheme.
Twenty-two of them were at Nsiana and Manso-Nkwanta in the Ashanti Region, covering an area of 554 acres and 17 at Akoase in the Eastern Region covering 428 acres of land.
Also, seven licences have been issued at Mempehia in the Ahafo Region covering 176 acres, six at Tinga in the Savannah Region covering 151 acres and three at Abosso in the Western Region covering an area of 75 acres.
The scheme is a new mining model introduced by government to allow host mining communities engage in lawful mining and address underlying causes of illegal mining within mining areas across the country.
Launching the scheme at Nsania in the Amansie West District on June 3, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, said the scheme, was a novel intervention that encourages persons in mining communities to undertake meaningful mining ventures and ensure sustainable livelihoods for the beneficiaries.
“As provided for within the small scale mining, the scheme is reserved for only Ghanaian citizens but with an emphasis on host mining communities. Simply put, the scheme is of the people, by the people, for the people of the community,” he stated.
One key benefit of the scheme, he said, was the creation of 16,000 jobs which could positively impact local and rural economies.
The scheme would stimulate wealth creation and improve the local economy through the generation of value within local economies and further create horizontal, vertical as well as other linkages with other sectors of the Ghanaian economy, he added.
Additionally, the minister stated, that the scheme would enable community involvement in mining in response to the legitimate desire by host communities to participate in the mining industry value chain.
To ensure a successful implementation, Community Mining Oversight Committees have been formed while Small-Scale Miners Code of Practice have been adopted, he said.
He noted that the community miners would also be provided with support services to enable them work effectively.
Mr Asomah-Cheremeh urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the scheme improve their livelihoods and promote community development.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman and diplomat, has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama. They officially informed him of his passing.
The delegation, representing the Gbeho family, noted that it was culturally and diplomatically important to formally notify the President of the loss before making a public announcement of his death.
Ambassador Gbeho was a towering figure in Ghanaian and international politics. He served in many diplomatic missions, including New York. He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission.
He was widely respected for his role in regional integration and his contributions to global diplomacy at the United Nations.
President Mahama expressed his condolences and shared reflections on Ambassador Gbeho’s contributions to the country, West Africa and the world.
Funeral details will be announced later.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revoked all firearm permits in Ghana with immediate effect and announced a new registration process for all gun owners.
The minister made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, at the information service department saying all individuals who currently hold licences to own firearms or sidearms must undergo a fresh registration process.
“From this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual that you are holding a sidearm or firearm is hereby revoked,” Mr Muntaka said.
He explained that the government had identified gaps in the country’s firearm registration system and needed to introduce stricter measures to improve public safety.
“We are opening the window where everyone will have to come forward again to register or re-register the gun because we’ve changed the procedure,” he stated.
According to him, the government decided not to wait until the end of the year to make the changes because lives could still be saved within the next six months.
The Interior Minister said one of the new requirements would be mandatory mental health screening for applicants seeking firearm licences.
“We’ve seen that people with mental health have already gone through and have the sidearm. Now we are introducing mental health. Before we give you the sidearm, we have to be sure that you have the mental stability to hold the firearms,” he said.
Mr Muntaka also announced that applicants would be required to undergo drug tests before being granted licences.
“We’ve also realised that people who are on drugs are also holding their arms and they are legitimate because it’s been registered. Now you have to go through drug tests to be sure that you are not on drugs before you can hold sidearms,” he added.
The minister said the new measures form part of efforts by the government to tighten firearm control and prevent legally registered weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
He urged all firearm owners to cooperate with the new registration process once details of the exercise are announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
