Sulemanu Koney, CEO of Ghana Chamber Mines
The Ghana Chamber of Mines has asked the government to ensure that all royalties due to mining communities are paid to them and on time.
This, the Chamber believes would help in the community development agenda of the country especially at areas where these natural resources are mined from.
Speaking at a media interaction in Kumasi, Sulemanu Koney, Chief Executive of the Ghana Chamber Mines said the payment of these royalties by mining companies could help start a revolutionary kind of development in mining communities.
The access to such royalties and funds, he argued would strengthen the hands of both traditional and local authorities in embarking on infrastructural as well as other development ventures for these communities.
‘’We at the Chamber believe that when these royalties that are due mining communities are paid and done on time with the right amounts disbursed to both the traditional and local authorities it could aid them to plan the development of these areas very well’’, Mr. Koney reiterated.
ADMINISTRATOR:
Throwing light on the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), Dr. Norris Hammah said the fund has solely been created to ensure funds due to mining communities are disbursed for development purposes.
He noted that currently, 20% royalties are being enjoyed by mining communities of which 3-6% is paid to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) with the administrator of stool lands and others also taking portions of same.
Dr. Hammah, however, expressed the determination of his outfit to ensure funds allocated to mining communities for development projects are applied judiciously for the benefit of the people.
Group picture of members of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and some senior news editors in the Kumasi Metropolis during the recent media engagement forum at the Golden Tulip.
Some of these disbursements to mining communities, the MDF administrator revealed has helped in the putting up of essential infrastructure such as a medical block at Legon Campus of the University of Ghana, Nine (9) projects including cafeteria and halls at the campus of the University of Mines And Technology in Tarkwa as well as the completion of some legacy projects embarked upon by President Kufuor in 2016.
DONATION:
In a related development, the Chamber of Mines on Thursday presented a cheque of GHC 100,000.00 to the National House of Chiefs (NHC).
The cash donation is to aid the Chieftaincy body to carry out renovation works at its permanent meeting place in Manhyia.
Presenting the dummy cheque to Togbe Afede during the House’s General Meeting, Mr Eric Asubonteng, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines said there has always been a functional relationship between the mining industry and the National House of Chiefs whose members are primary stakeholders in the operations of large-scale mining companies in Ghana.
Receiving the cheque, Togbe Afede, President of the National House of Chiefs thanked the Chamber for the support they continually extend to the House and urged them to work with diligence and strict application of the law so that communities that are mined are given their due through the payment of royalties by these mining companies.
