Kumasi, July 20, GNA - The mining industry recorded an increase in mineral revenue from 798 million dollars in 2004 to
995 million dollars in 2005. It thus contributed about 13 per cent of all Internal Revenue
Service collections in 2005. It also retained about 48 per cent of the nation's export
earnings in 2005 to support their operations and also fulfill
their retention obligations to the Central Bank. Miss Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana
Chamber of Mines, made these known when members of the
Chamber paid a courtesy call on the Ashanti Regional Minister,
Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah at his office in Kumasi
on Tuesday. The visit was to interact with the Minister and brief him on
some of projects and achievements made by the mining
companies in their areas of operations. Miss Aryee said the increases in the mining sector were
on the account of improvements in the realistic prices as well
as outputs of all minerals. She said bauxite production increased from 498,060
tonnes in 2004 to 726,608 tonnes in 2005 while manganese
output increased from 1,593,778 tonnes in 2004 to 1,714,797
tonnes in 2005. The Chief Executive said manganese prices went up by
18.49 per cent whilst bauxite prices increased by 16.37 per
cent. Diamond prices went up by 14.54 per cent and gold
prices gained 9.3 per cent. Miss Aryee said mining companies had also contributed
immensely to the socio-economic development of the
communities in their areas of operation and mentioned the
handing over of the properties of the Obotan Mine Project by
the Resolute Amansie Limited to the government and
appealed to the Regional Co-ordinating Council to play a role
in determining how the facilities would be utilized. Miss Aryee urged the government and the Town and
Country Planning Department to develop strategic plans for
the mining areas. She expressed concern about the activities of illegal miners
and called on the Regional Minister to assist the companies to
flush them out. Mr Owusu-Ansah commended the mining companies for
their immense contribution to the growth and development of
the country's economy. He said illegal mining activities had continued to be a
source of worry to both mining companies and the government
and that there was the need to find a sustainable measures
that would stem the practice. He said the Regional Co-ordinating Council would work to
ensure that the environment was not destroyed as a result of
illegal mining activities.
