The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Mr. Emmanuel Kwamena Anyimah alias Ellembelle KK, has urged businesses in the mining supply chain to build enterprises that will outlive the lifespan of mines.
He said suppliers must move beyond contract renewals to forge partnerships that will sustain local economies long after mineral extraction ends.
Mr. Anyimah made the call when he served as Guest of Honour at a suppliers conference held at the Akoon Club House in Tarkwa in the Western Region.
The conference was on the theme: “Partnership for Enduring Value: Building Resilient Supply Chains Beyond Mining.”
He delivered the address on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Mr. Isaac Tandoh.
Mr. Anyimah said Ghana's mining sector is undergoing deliberate and far-reaching reform, anchored on Cabinet's endorsement of a comprehensive overhaul of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703) – the first major review in twenty years.
He said the Bill, now before Parliament, will establish District Mining Committees as the first point of licensing, create a medium-scale mining category for Ghanaian entrepreneurs, and make Community Development Agreements mandatory for every mining lease.
“Host communities will become co-signatories to their own development rather than beneficiaries of goodwill,” he said.
He added that the legislative measures are supported by a revised Minerals and Mining Policy, new Royalties Regulations (L.I. 2517) with a sliding-scale regime, automation of licensing through the Mining Cadastre Administration System (MCAS), and deployment of geofencing and tracking technologies to strengthen compliance.
Touching on local content, Mr. Anyimah said the Commission's position is clear: local content is no longer measured by trading volumes alone, but by value addition, manufacturing linkages and skills transfer.
“When a Tarkwa-based enterprise supplies, fabricates or services a mine, it contributes to an economy that will outlive the pit,” he noted.
He said under the leadership of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Government's ambition is to move from raw mineral exports toward full domestic value addition by 2030.
He outlined four expectations for suppliers: investment in local manufacturing and assembly; adherence to international Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and safety standards; partnership with community cooperatives under the Responsible Community Mining and Skills Development Enhancement Programme (rCOMSDEP); and inclusion of female-led enterprises as core partners in the supply chain.
On Government's commitment, he said a stable, responsible and predictable environment is being created for legitimate business, citing the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), which has formalised over 85 tonnes of small-scale gold this year, together with the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) and the Blue Water Guard.
“Do not treat this conference as an occasion to renew contracts alone. Use it to build partnerships that will still be standing twenty years after the last ounce of gold has been mined,” he charged.
Mr. Anyimah subsequently declared the conference open and pledged the Commission's full support for productive deliberations.
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