The government of Ghana will soon pass a resolution that will compel foreign companies undertaking haulage services and fuel supply to move out of the mining sector.
The move by the government is to protect the local interest by reserving these businesses for local companies.
Minister for Lands and Natural resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh addressing members of the Ghana Chamber of Mines at their Annual General Meeting in Accra said the action by government is not to discourage foreigners from investing in the economy.
"The indigenes can handle that, where we have foreigners that play that role we will give them a particular period and we will take the entire job from them, this is not to discourage them from investing in the country, in mining, in general, there are some roles that Ghanaians may partner foreigners to handle but in terms of this local content as we are preaching supply of fuel we make sure that such jobs are given to Ghanaians and when it comes to haulage of the oil from one place to the other, haulage materials."
Gov't opens registration for reserved mining concessions
The government through the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) has opened registration for reserved mining concessions across the country.
In a statement signed by the chairman of the committee Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng says the move is part of the authority and the minerals commission to begin the community mining programme in all mining regions.
Interested persons according to the letter are to submit their names to local assemblies for considerations.
Excerpts of the statement dated June 10, 2019, reads:
''In preparation to kick-start the Community Mining Programme, the IMCIM on illegal mining and minerals commission has reserved mining concessions across the mining regions''.
''The IMCIM on illegal mining invites persons interested in participating the in the programme to register with their respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs). Such persons may or may not be part of persons trained in the sustainable mining course at the University of Mines and Technology''.
''Deadline for registration is June 21, 2019. The number of names submitted would determine the number of concessions that would be allotted to the MMDAs for the Community Mining Programme''.
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