|
Large-scale mining covers 13 per cent
of mining areas - Ms Aryee
Sunyani, July 19, Ghanadot/GNA - Ms Joyce Rosalyn Aryee,
Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Chamber of Mines has
observed that only 13 per cent of Ghana's total land mass
for mining is being utilised by large-scale mining
companies.
She said contrary to the growing concern among Ghanaians
over the negative impact of mining on the country's
environment, only 31,237 square kilometres of land out of
the total land area of 240,000 square kilometres had been
released for mining activities.
Ms Aryee made the observation when briefing the media on
functions and activities of the Chamber in Sunyani.
She said; "only 13 per cent of land area devoted to mining
activities is under actual large scale mining operations in
the country."
Ms Aryee said the Chamber was committed for the best
practices in its collaborative principles and would not
compromise the core values of honesty, transparency, good
governance, good corporate citizenship and total commitment
when providing leadership to solve national issues relating
to mining.
Ms Aryee stressed the need for the mining industry and media
to collaborate to promote mining as a catalyst for local,
regional and national development.
"The media has a lot to offer in bringing to the notice of
people in Ghana and mining communities in particular, the
dynamics of corporate social responsibility, compensation,
community responsibility and the industry's contribution
towards the national economy," she added.
Ms Aryee announced that the Chamber was a signatory to
United Nations Global Compact, which sets out core values in
human rights, labour standards, environment and
anti-corruption.
She said members of the Chamber in production had in
addition, submitted themselves to the Extractive Industries
Transparency Initiative and regularly publish their
commitments to Government, host communities and the public.
Ms Aryee said the Chamber, as part of its sustainable
development agenda was advocating for Government to increase
the level of royalties paid to host communities from the
current nine per cent to 30 per cent while ensuring visible
manifestation of royalty receipts in mining communities.
On payment of royalties at the national front, she said
contrary to perceptions, mining companies had contributed
immensely to the national revenue.
Ms Aryee announced that in 2005 431.4 million dollars
representing 48 per cent of total mineral revenue was paid
to Government.
She said sustainable development was the desired goal and
the industry through the Chamber would work with Government
and stakeholders to implement principles of cooperative
decision-making and shared responsibility for the management
of social and environmental impact of mining.
GNA
|
