The Ghana Chamber of Mines has launched its 90th anniversary with a call on the state to play its role as a facilitator and a partner of the mining industry to harness the varied opportunities in the sector.
The President of Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, who made the call, said the Chamber was keen on making public the opportunities in the mining sector to benefit Ghanaian businesses and institutions as demonstrated through the recent launch of the local content portal.
“We are committed to ensuring that the industry contributes fairly to community and national development and the achievement of improved living standards,” he said at the launch of the anniversary in Accra.
Mr Addo-Kufuor reiterated the commitment of the Chamber to spearhead the drive to deepen the integration of the mining industry to the economy.
He said the Chamber recognised the need to explore linkages with other sectors and to support indigenous manufacturing, services and supply companies by moving beyond the legal requirements of local content.
“The Chamber deems it necessary to establish and strengthen existing partnerships with other industry associations to broaden the discourse on value creation to spur entrepreneurship in the economy,” Mr Addo-Kufuor said.
To deepen this, he said, mining must deliberately be integrated into the non-mineral sector to create a vibrant and sustainable market place in and around the mining industry, Mr Addo-Kufuor stressed.
On the contribution of the mining sector, Mr Addo-Kufuor said the companies had made extensive contribution to rural development through their direct operations and the fulfilment of their corporate social investment commitments to their host communities and beyond.
He said the 90th anniversary would offer the Chamber the opportunity to reflect on the successes and challenges of the industry.
“As one of the most regulated, responsible and well-organised economic blocs in the country, the Chamber deems it appropriate to re-examine its priorities as a true engine of economic growth and development,” he said.
Mr Addo-Kufuor continued: “More and more mining firms have developed processes and procedures that place more emphasis on sustainable practices to safeguard people’s livelihoods and the environment at large. In essence, mining has in recent times, taken a more broad-based and developmental role”.
The outline of the activities for the anniversary include; the commissioning of the 90th Anniversary documentary to depict the contribution of mining to the economy, sustainability and community development as well as opportunities for local investors.
Others are; public lecture, media discussions, an executive roundtable to discuss the Chamber’s ideas in deepening value-creation and local content in the mining industry and the West Africa Mining and Power Conference/Exhibition.
Donation of equipment to the Urology Unit of the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital and a National Essay Competition for tertiary schools on sustainable mining and integration of mining into the non-mineral sector of the economy, August 2018
The 58 member Ghana Chamber of Mines was formed in Tarkwa on 6th of June 1928, the Chamber has been the unifying mouth piece for the mining industry in the then Gold Coast and now the Republic of Ghana.
The theme for the anniversary is: ‘A responsible and sustainable mining industry; a partner for national development.