Veep Expresses Concern About Miners' Action

Vice-President Aliu Mahama on Friday expressed concern about reported incidents of environmental pollution by the country?s mining companies.

He referred to alleged instances of the discharge of toxic gases and liquids, which polluted the air, water and soils and also destroyed plant and animal life in communities where mining companies were actively operating.

Alhaji Mahama, who was speaking during a luncheon organized by the Ghana Chamber of Mines in Accra to wrap up the 75th annual general meeting of the Chamber, said government was following with keen interest recent debates about proposed mining activities in some selected productive forests.

?I personally find the debate very healthy and useful for the country and will encourage such debates to be dispassionate and factual. ? I am also informed that you have already made plans to contribute to the President?s Special Initiative on Reforestation. I am, therefore, requesting the Forestry Commission to collaborate with the Chamber to ensure effective participation, ? he said.

While commending the Chamber for the Project, which he said would boost the image of the mining sector seen by the general public ? as an enemy of the environment,? he encouraged the miners to commence the land-swapping programme they have planned to reclaim degraded forest reserves.

Alhaji Mahama said mining was part of the government?s vision of a Golden Age of Business due to the enormous contributions it makes to the economy. ?Suffice it for me to mention that the mining industry has provided the country with between seven and 14 per cent of her revenue, totaling in excess of three trillion cedis. ?Further, the industry continues to be a major foreign exchange earner for the country, contributing over 40 per cent into Ghana?s foreign exchange basket.?

The Vice-President also acknowledged that the sector was a major employer of about 16,000 Ghanaians.

He urged the Chamber to complement the role of government to improve the living conditions of the people in the communities where they do business to bridge their public credibility gap.

Mr. Kweku Andoh Awotwi, acting president of the chamber, said mining companies were determined to check environmental degradation.