The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has charged the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) to generate an extensive database of viable mining lands to enable government makes the necessary investments for job creation.
Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, further explained that an up-to-date database would be the fulcrum upon which other agencies execute their work.
He was speaking in Accra yesterday during the inauguration of the Board of the GGSA.
Chaired by Philip Yaw Oduro Amoako, the Board has Dr. Daniel Boamah, Director General of GGSA, Prof. Patrick Kwamla Agbesinyale, Chief Director, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Lawrence Apaalse from the Ministry of Energy and Richard Kofi Adjei, Chief Inspector of Mines, Minerals Commission as members.
The rest are Dorothy Afriyie-Ansah, Attorney General’s Department, Bob A. Alfa, Water Resources Commission, Dr Jacob Mawuko Kutu, Ghana Institute of Geoscientist, Prof. Marian Asantewaa Nkansah, a presidential nominee and a representative from the National Council for Tertiary Education.
The Deputy Minister, who inaugurated the board on behalf of the Minister, Samuel A. Jinapor, encouraged the members to up their game in database generation.
“Our Ministry and a number of other agencies will be depending on this data to execute their work. Demarcating areas for Small-Scale Mining is very key going forward, especially in the Community Mining Concept that we have now.
We believe the onus will be on you to tell us the areas that are viable for our youth who are unemployed to get viable work to do,” he added.
Mr. Duker touted the expertise of the Board to make the Authority the repository of all the facts and figures that would be needed for the exploration of the country’s natural resources.
On his part, Mr. Amoako expressed appreciation to the government for the appointment, saying “the only best thing to do as a group is to reciprocate the kindness by discharging our duties.”
He stated that as Members of the Board, they recognise the functions of the GGSA and would do according to the dictates of these functions.
He gave the assurance that they would work diligently and factually, and with effective collaboration, work with the relevant public and private sector agencies for the execution of the mandate given.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
