Jinapor charges mining companies to help gov’t build a viable mining hub

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has asked Gold Fields Ghana Limited and other large-scale mining companies operating in the country to partner the government in building Ghana to become the mining hub of Africa.

Mr Abu Jinapor made the call when he paid a working visit to the Tarkwa Mines of the Gold Fields Ghana Limited yesterday to ascertain their level of operations, inspect some development projects at the mine and also interact with management and staff of the company.

He explained that doing so would bring to fruition President Nana Akufo-Addo’s vision of ensuring that all the components of the value chain exist in the country.

In his view, the government cannot achieve this feat without the partnership and cooperation of mining companies such as the Gold Fields.

“I am here to extend a hand of partnership. Let us work together to build the mining industry in Ghana. Let us be partners, let us cooperate. We don’t have to operate on the basis of adversaries, but rather on the basis of partners,” the Minister said.

He added: “We are the regulators; you are the operators. At the end of the day, we need each other to build that mining industry, and I, as your Minister, I am fully committed to work with Gold Fields to build the company into the biggest mining industry in the world, not just Africa.”

The Minister also pledged the government’s commitment to creating a conducive environment that will enable Gold Fields and other mining companies thrive and, in turn, invest more.

Green Ghana

He said his ministry would engage executives of the Ghana Chamber of Mines to get mining institutions on board for the Green Ghana project.

He commended Gold Field Ghana Limited for their own initiatives taken to ‘green’ Ghana through oil plantations and other vegetative initiatives.

The Minister hoped that their engagement would help the country contribute largely to the global fight against climate change.

“I’m hoping that when we get the opportunity to meet, we will be able to engage and chart a way forward to green our country for our population, and ensure that Ghana is a country that is contributing to the global fight against climate change,” he said.

He announced the health and safety protocols put together by his ministry to ensure that their work is safe for the miners and the people of Ghana, reiterating that the Ministry is going to pursue, with all seriousness, the recommendations made by the health and safety team he formed to review the entire health and safety regime of the sector.

CSR

Congratulating Gold Fields on their corporate social responsibility (CSR), particularly on the road networks in Tarkwa and Damang, the Minister reminded management of the company of the President’s plea for them to work on the roads in the Tarkwa township.

He also applauded the management of Gold Fields for working tirelessly to ensure that the mine is always safe.

The working visit of the Minister also saw him being taken on a brief tour of the Tarkwa Mine, mainly the Gold room, where Gold is smelted and poured.

Referring to the Apeate explosion incident, the General Manager of the Tarkwa Mine, Mr Stephen Osei-Bempah, said the company had since the incident taken better steps to ensure that explosives transported are safe on the road.

He said Gold Fields had been able to reduce injuries from 69 to five between 2010 and 2021, adding that the company was working hard towards achieving zero harm on all sites.

He hinted that, as part of their CSR, the company would soon construct a stadium in Tarkwa and Abosso, a girl’s dormitory for the Huni-Valley Senior High School, a healthcare centre, among many others, in their respective localities.