Government's alternative livelihood program for illegal miners to cost $10 million

The five-year Multilateral Mining Integrated Project that will offer an alternative source of livelihood for illegal miners is estimated to cost around $10 million.

In a Citi FM report, according to the Minister for Lands and Resources, John Peter Amewu, the program which apparently has already commenced will look at a “margin of not less than $10 million when it gets to its peak.”

The minister spoke to Citi FM news while on his two-day tour of some illegal mining sites in the Western Region, when he said that the process to start the project was ongoing.

He disclosed that he spoke with the small-scale mining association, and added that contracts were already being awarded.

“What the project is going to do is to get these same factory hands who were previously engaged in this activity to together to come and work in an area that has been already explored.

We are going to put in place a central processing plant for them where they will mine, and the ore from the mining will be passed through the processing plant and it will be for a fee,” he said.

The minister further stated that some companies had already been given contracts to begin exploration projects as part of the the MMIP.

“Some mining companies are willingly relinquishing portions of their concessions to government.

These concessions will be made available for small-scale mining. A typical example is Anglogold Ashanti which has allocated almost 60 percent of their concession to government,” he added.

According to the minister, the illegal miners should take advantage of the government’s project as it offers many opportunities to a better source of livelihood.

The MMIP according to James Amewu will engage the miners and youth in a tree planting exercise to revitalize the lands that were destroyed as part of the mining activities, as well review mining laws and their enforcement.