On Tuesday, 16th September 2025, the Ghana Chamber of Mines hosted Her Excellency Liliana Gómez, the Peruvian Ambassador to Ghana, at its Secretariat in Accra, following the Chamber’s participation in the Second Peru–Ghana Trade and Investment Webinar.
The engagement, led by Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, was aimed at fostering bilateral cooperation between Ghana and Peru in the mining sector. Discussions focused particularly on the need to share best practices in promoting responsible and legal small-scale mining, an area of mutual interest given the parallels in both countries’ artisanal mining sectors.
Ambassador Gómez noted that Ghana and Peru face similar challenges related to illegal mining, including its negative impact on forests, water bodies, the environment, and public health. She also highlighted social issues such as prostitution and other illicit activities that often arise in unregulated mining communities. She emphasized that a coordinated and responsible response is essential to ensure that small-scale mining positively contributes to national development.
Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, echoed these concerns and cited remarks made by the CEO of AngloGold Ashanti during a recent lecture, which emphasized Ghana’s opportunity to learn from Peru’s experience in managing the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector.
In a forward-looking move, both parties agreed to explore the possibility of signing a Cooperation Agreement between the Ghana Chamber of Mines and its Peruvian counterpart to formalize collaboration and knowledge exchange. H.E. Liliana Gómez committed to facilitating this engagement through the relevant institutions in Peru.
The Ambassador also extended a formal invitation to Ing. Dr. Ashigbey to participate in the upcoming PERUMIN 37 Convención Minera, scheduled to take place from 22nd to 26th September 2025. While the CEO noted that the timeline was short, he expressed interest in future editions and, through the Ambassador, invited Peru’s Chamber of Mines to participate in the 2026 edition of the West African Mining and Power Exhibition (WAMPEX) in Accra. The Ambassador warmly welcomed the idea and pledged to facilitate Peru’s participation.
During the visit, the Ambassador also took the opportunity to thank the COO, Mr. Ahmed Nantogmah, for participating in the Peru-Ghana webinar and presented him with a certificate of appreciation.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen bilateral mining relations, promote responsible mining practices, and pursue people-centered, environmentally responsible solutions in both countries.