Cephas Larbi and Ernest Kissiedu
23 May 2008
Accra — The Ghana Chamber of Mines' 80th Anniversary celebrations have been launched.
The anniversary is expected to promote peaceful and cordial relationship between mining companies and the communities in which they operate and to create an enabling environment for the development of the communities.
The anniversary is being observed on the theme of "Life without mining is impossible".
Local mining companies and other affiliated corporate bodies in the country have approved an elaborate programme for the celebrations. These include medical outreaches to help screen breast cancer and problems associated with the eyes, tree planting, symposia and a series of lectures. Others are essay-writing competition, photo exhibition and a number of commemorative choral and sporting events to be sponsored by member companies and other institutions.
Most of the activities would be taking place in Tarkwa, the birth place of the Chamber.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Ms. Joyce Aryee said the mining industry should be seen as a catalyst for development because many of the infrastructural developments in the country are often related to mining.
She said the mining industry in Ghana has over the past 80 years been extremely active in growing and developing not only their operations but also sustaining the communities and towns located in deprived areas. "Multiple industries have also been spawned both in the upstream and down stream mining value chains", she said.
She said with the promise of oil, the issues associated with extractive industries world-wide are bound to enhance the urgency and relevance of the dialogue that the industry has maintained with all stakeholders over the past several years.
She said she was optimistic about the future of the mining industry in the country's socio-economic growth because the industry has a bright future.
She said as the umbrella organisation for the local mining companies and their affiliates, the Chamber has, over the years, increasingly become a vital machinery for facilitating the free-exchange of information and the resolution of challenges associated with Ghana's efforts as a leading mining country.
Ms. Aryee warned against activities of illegal mining and advised people to involve themselves in legal and safe mining. "The Chamber directly supports legal mining. We've no problem with small mining because it creates employment for people, but the right things should be done", she said.
Mr. Jurgen Eijgendaal, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines said the mining industry has matured and is seen as one of the most regulated, responsible and well-organized economic bodies in the country.
He said with the introduction of the new mining regulations, environmental codes and social responsibility programmes into the industry, there has been an improved value to the industry's performance and its image.
He said the Chamber would use the celebrations as a platform to redefine its role in the areas of national economic planning, urban and semi-urban planning/renewal, environmental stewardship, land use policies and corporate social investments.
Mr. Eijgendaal called on all relevant stakeholders to create an enabling environment through the provision of right policies, infrastructural development to reduce the cost of doing business in Ghana.
The Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Forestry, Mr. Andrew Adjei Yeboah assured the Chamber of the government's support.
He commended the Chamber for the role it played in the country's development and called for even better relationship with government.
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