The government is fully committed to making sure that the mineral deposits found in the Oti Region are exploited and used for the benefit of the people of Oti in particular and Ghanaians in general, according to Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who is also in charge of Lands and Forestry.
On Wednesday, November 23, 2022, while responding to inquiries from members of the public on behalf of Sector Minister Samuel A. Jinapor, the Deputy Minister delivered the aforementioned statement.
In response to a question about the Ministry’s efforts to operationalize the mining of minerals found in the Oti Region, Mr. Owusu-Bio stated that the government is still in the exploratory stage of the iron ore mineral’s mining value chain.
He explained that one of the seven blocks in the Gyamurume and Wawaso areas is where the Ghana Integrated Iron and Steel Development Corporation (GIISDEC), the statutory body in charge of promoting and developing an integrated iron and steel industry in the nation, is currently conducting mineral resource estimation.
He went on to say that mapping and geophysical surveys are now underway and that satellite scans have been done. He stated the project is scheduled to be finished in about a year and a half and that so far, 10 locals have been engaged.
In addition to iron ore, he hinted that the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA) is defining and quantifying the economic potential for exploitation of limestone resources.
He gave the House the assurance that before any significant mining operations start in the Region, the Ministry will see to it that all required safeguards are put in place to prevent any illegalities that would have a detrimental environmental impact, as observed elsewhere.
Still speaking of the mining industry, Mr. Owusu-Bio praised a number of government initiatives put in place to lessen the threat posed by illicit mining, stating that these initiatives can also be seen as advancements in the government’s fight against the threat.
“Government has implemented several policies and programmes aimed at coming to grips with this canker. We declared river bodies as red zones for mining, banned reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploration in Forest Reserves, launched Operation Halt II to rid river bodies and forest reserves of illegal mining activities, introduced speed boats and river guards to patrol and protect our river bodies, banned the manufacture, sale and/or use of the floating platform, popularly referred to as Changfan, enhanced the punishment regime for persons involved in illegal mining, revamped Community Mining Schemes and developed an Operational Manual to regulate their operations.”
He reaffirmed that the government had sold some landed assets since 2017 in response to queries about the disposition of government property, as has been the case in previous administrations during the Fourth Republic.
He was quick to add, however, that he would solely rely on earlier replies given on February 3, June 7, and June 28, 2022, as recorded in the Hansard for those days, as to the number of transactions, the beneficiaries, and the value of such transactions.
He also stated categorically that he would provide the House with the data once the Lands Commission, the custodian of this information, had completed gathering the records, including those pertaining to prior years already requested by the House.
The Deputy Minister provided a historical background to the issue and emphasized that Achimota Forest is an integral part of Government’s plan for the protection of our forest cover and our agenda for aggressive afforestation and reforestation. In response to the question of why Government issued an Executive Instrument (E.I. 144) to declassify 40% of Achimota Forest Reserve and how Lands in these Reserve area were already demarcated and sold out to individuals, the Government of Presidium of the United
As a result, he assured the House that the Government will act on any erroneous acquisition of public lands, regardless of how it was done, whether it happened recently or in the past, and that the Achimota Forest Lands will not be an exception.
Mr. Owusu-Bio emphasized unequivocally that public lands are not for sale, and the Akufo-Addo administration has also never sold land to any institutions, organizations, or private individuals.
Regarding the quantity and location of the confiscated rosewood purportedly donated to the National Cathedral, he stated that since the sector minister’s announcement on July 30, 2022, “since this date, twelve point five (12.5) containers, containing an estimated wood volume of 250 cubic meters (m3) of rosewood, have been confiscated and the National Cathedral has received these donations.
He begged the house to remember that all the rosewood contributed to the National Cathedral Project is housed in the Forestry Commission Depot in Achimota out of security concerns and that the Project will use the confiscated wood as and when it is needed.
The House and the good people of Ghana were assured by the Deputy Minister that “our management of our country’s natural resources, including Rosewood, will continue to be anchored on the highest standards of transparency, integrity, and candor for the benefit of the Ghanaian people, the owners of these resources.”
Source: newsthemegh.com