Takoradi: Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Member of Parliament for Takoradi, has put forward a series of policies aimed at fundamentally restructuring Ghana's mining industry. His proposals focus on decentralizing mining regulations to foster community involvement and promote responsible mining practices.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr Darko-Mensah emphasized the importance of empowering local communities and decentralizing decision-making processes as essential measures to combat illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, and prevent environmental degradation. He criticized the current governance framework for failing to address these issues while also depriving mining communities of their rightful share of the mineral wealth.
Central to his proposal is the decentralization of mining licenses to the district level, involving traditional authorities through District Mining Committees. This approach aims to enhance accountability and local ownership by ensuring that license applications are processed at the district level. Additionally, Mr Darko-Mensah suggested a revised revenue-sharing formula from mining proceeds, allocating 18% to local communities, with the remainder distributed among district administrations, environmental initiatives, royalties, and the national treasury.
He argued that restructuring the revenue model is feasible, given the substantial contributions large mining companies already make to the state through various statutory payments. To further regularize mining activities, he proposed a mobile licensing system, particularly for rock miners, and advocated assigning engineers to oversee mining operations to ensure adherence to safety and environmental standards.
Mr Darko-Mensah also addressed the issue of water pollution by proposing centralized processing centers and tailing dams for alluvial miners, with a cost-sharing mechanism to make these facilities accessible. He suggested significant changes in the shareholding structure of GoldBod, proposing reduced government ownership to allow for increased stakeholder participation, which he believes would enhance policy implementation and promote collective responsibility.
He outlined plans for local licensing committees to oversee reclamation and replanting efforts, highlighting global evidence of the substantial economic returns from land reclamation projects. The MP also proposed the creation of a dedicated mining bank to provide legitimate financing for miners, reducing reliance on illicit funding sources.
To create employment and reduce illegal mining incentives, Mr Darko-Mensah suggested converting abandoned mines and old shafts into community mining concessions. He called for the redevelopment of mining towns through projects funded by the central government and suggested deploying solar-powered CCTV systems for better surveillance of water bodies.
Mr Darko-Mensah concluded by advocating for a shift from criminalizing mining to establishing systems that promote responsible extraction, environmental protection, and community benefits. He stressed that only a bold restructuring of the sector could balance economic growth with environmental and social responsibilities.