At a meeting to extend a humble invitation to the Occupant of the Golden Stool at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, the leadership of the Ghana Chamber of Mines was challenged with two questions about the state of the country’s mining sector.
The delegation was at the Palace on Friday purposely to extend an invitation to have Otumfuo Osei Tutu II as the Guest of honour at the opening of their 2024 Conference scheduled for June 5, 2024, when His Majesty posed the two significant questions.
He asked, “What is your contribution towards the fight against galamsey? The second question is why aren’t geological surveyors and geologists able to undertake mineral estimates in the country and we always have to wait for foreigners to come and do it and take over the land.”
“We don’t know how much bauxite and gold are underground. We always have to contract the whites to do it while the conditions around this agreement aren’t favourable to us. Meanwhile, you people have the qualification to do it. Why aren’t you given such licences so you get foreign partners to do it if you want or you get the loan to undertake it?”
His Majesty stated that despite the enormous benefits that come with ownership of natural resources such as Ghana, the country hasn’t been able to reap the full benefits.
“We should brood over this. How have we benefitted from the gold, bauxite and lithium you are talking about? The government is taking 10% free carriage. What are the supervisory measures to check extracts? They just name the 10% dividend, snap pictures and then that is all. The benefits of mining should reflect on the country… Geological surveyors must also be up and doing. Even if we need to get a loan to undertake the estimate for documentation so that foreigners won’t come and take over our lands for undertaking MRE.”
On the issue of illegal mining popularly known as galamsey, Otumfuo underscored the need to take collective action against it.
“Mining is a good venture but galamsey has tarnished its reputation. The Mining Commission must take responsibility.”
Courtesy Call
The Chamber paid the courtesy visit on April 19, 2024.
Among the delegation were Fred Attakumah, the First Vice President, Ms. Angela Diala List, the Second Vice President, Mr. Eric Asubonteng, Immediate Past President and Mr. Sulemanu Koney, the CEO.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation about the conference which will begin on June 5 and end on June 7, Mr Attakumah said, “The Ghana Chamber of Mines undertakes a conference every year either focused on Ghana or West Africa. This year, it will concentrate on West Africa and so we will have guests from all over the sub-region.”
He said the decision to request the presence of the King at the conference was to solicit and tap into his immense wisdom and direction for players in the industry. He also acknowledged the fact that the majority of the mining lands in the country belonged to the King.
“Most of the lands we mine on in Ghana belong to the King… Otumfuo has helped the mining industry so much and so we felt if it’s possible he would be our Special Guest of Honour on the 5th of June in the Opening Ceremony.”
“The reason also is that a lot of countries- South Africa, Canada, Australia- developed through mining and so we will need his wisdom and direction to move on. Ghana is the leading producer of gold in Africa and the mining of lithium has started.There is a lot in the Asante Kingdom and the conversation about it is yet to start.
“We are at a juncture and we will need his help and counsel to go forward. If it would be possible {for His Majesty to come} so that we all and the sub-region would benefit from his counsel.”
The Chamber used the occasion to donate an amount of Gh¢100,000 towards the 25th Anniversary of the Monarch.
In response to the invitation, Otumfuo said, “We will be there to jaw-jaw and see how to go about mining in the country.”
Source: Manhyia Palace
