The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources responsible for Mines, Mr George Mireku Duker, has reaffirmed the government’s determination to build a mining sector that is resilient and fortified enough to withstand future global crises.
He made the statement when he delivered the keynote address at the opening of the West African Institute of Mining Metallurgy and Petroleum (WAIMM) Annual Industry Conference on Tuesday in Accra.
Mr Mireku Duker lamented that the mining industry had been hit hard by the twin crises of COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine war.
He disclosed that the industry was hard hit by the crises but the government was introducing new policies as part of its economic reform to create an economy that would withstand the shocks of future global crises.
The mining industry, according to the Deputy Minister, has taken the lead in the reformation drive through the promotion of responsible and sustainable mining practices.
He noted that the theme of the two-day conference, “Building A Resilient and Sustainable Natural Resources Industry Beyond Global Pandemic,” was in line with the government’s new direction in the extractive sector.
He asserted that the conference provides a forum for the exchange of ideas to address the issues that have plagued the sector as a result of the crises.
“The conference also seeks to provide the platform for discussing appropriate and innovative ways of addressing global and national challenges confronting national development through mining,” he said.
“I’m also glad to learn that the event is dedicated not only to knowledge sharing and the dissemination of innovations but also to developing existing business interests in the country and promoting new opportunities in the value chain of the oil and gas and mining sectors,” he added.
Mr Mireku Duker stated that the mining sector has long been the bedrock of Ghana’s socioeconomic development and that every policy initiative implemented was aimed at purging the sector to increase revenue generation capacity.
He noted that in 2021, gold contributed approximately 16.48% to government revenue and 35.6% of total merchandise exports. He also stated that the country earned $5.083 billion in export revenue from the sale of 2.820 million ounces of gold.
He explained that the government was working to diversify the mining sector by establishing a bauxite and iron refinery hub in the country.
West Africa Institute of Mining Conference 2022 is the 5th annual WAIMM Industry Conference, which aims at providing an excellent opportunity for networking, high-end industry solutions, the latest developments in industry practices and operations, technological and technical recommendations to solve industry challenges, and knowledge sharing with experts and both local and international consultants.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
