Community mining is the 'worst thing' Akufo-Addo gov't has done - Nana Ofori Owusu

National Chairman of the Progressive People's Party (PPP), Nana Ofori Owusu says government must stop its community mining because, to him, it won't help the country.

Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor offered community mining as a lasting solution to illegal mining in Ghana.

Government introduced the Community Mining Scheme, a mining model, last year and it's aimed at creating jobs for beneficiary communities.

As part of the scheme, the government gave the green light for the commencement of regulated and sustainable mining at Adomanu in the Ashanti Region under the Community Mining Scheme.

The scheme is to create about 16,000 jobs nationwide.

The sector Minister, during his vetting by the Appointments Committee in Parliament on Wednesday, February 24, 2021, told the importance of the scheme saying " . . we need to pursue this concept of community mining. I think it's very important. I've looked at the literature. I've taken a lot of briefings. I've examined the situation and I'm more than fully persuaded that the perfection . . . of community mining in our country will go a long way in dealing with the incidences of illegal small-scale mining".

"We have gotten to a point where we require a bi-partisan broad-based multi-sectoral effort in dealing with illegal small-scale mining. We need a broad-based support for the national policy on illegal small-scale mining. So, what's the policy? The policy is that we build here in Ghana a sustainable viable regulated small-scale mining which has regard for the environment and do away with illegal small-scale mining which degrade the environment," he added.

Nana Ofori Owusu bemoaned the activities of illegal miners saying they are "destroying family. We are destroying moral values. The education of our youth is in jeopardy. The respect for the elderly is in jeopardy. All of those things; it's not just the environment but it's the destruction of a people''.

But, to him, although the government must adopt all measures to stop illegal mining, community mining isn't an option.

This, in his view, is because community mining ''the worst thing ever the government has done. If they don't reverse that thing and find a way to put these children in school, the free SHS and so forth will all go to waste''.

He made these submissions during a panel discussion on Peace FM's 'Kokrokoo' programme.