Queenmother Calls on Gov’t to Properly Regulate MDF to Transform Mining Areas

Nana Adwoa Tanaa II, the Paramount Queenmother of the Bogoso

Accra, Ghana, May 16, 2019//-Nana Adwoa Tanaa II, the Paramount Queenmother of the Bogoso Traditional Area in the Western Region of Ghana has called on the government to properly regulate the Minerals Development Fund (MDF) to transform the mining communities in the country.

According to her, the MDF set up by Act 912 could only meet its objectives if it is properly regulated by the government which recently instituted the MDF Board.

Nana Adwoa Tanaa II made this call at a panel discussion as part of the second National Conference on the MDF Act 912 held in Accra on Wednesday 15, May 2019.

Although the objectives for the establishment of the MDF were well intended, evidence from mining enclaves such as Obuasi, Tarkwa, Prestea, Akwatia, Bogoso among others shows the objectives are yet to be realized, she noted.

The utilization of revenues from mineral resources over the past decades has not been able to address the basic needs and problems associated with mining.

In the mining communities, residents lack basic infrastructure including access to good roads and portable water.

Various reports by the Ghana Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative (GHEITI) attest to the challenges surrounding the utilization of mineral royalties at the local level which largely results from weak alignment between revenues collected and utilization, the weak planning around mineral revenues, the delays and inadequacy in the release of mineral royalties by central government, inadequate systems to support traceability and accountability and the attendant challenges associated with resource revenues in general.

Benito Owusu Bio, Deputy Minister for Land and Natural Resources, who opened the conference, assured that the delegates that the government was working around the clock into ensure that 30% of gold produced in the country is refined locally.

The conference was organized by the West Africa Governance and Economic Sustainability in Extractive Areas (WAGES) Project, in partnership with the Centre for Extractives and Development, Africa (CEDA), the Star Ghana Foundation, World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and MDF Secretariat.

By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report

 

 

 

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