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Owusu-Bio (middle) and Addo-Kuffuor interacting with some delegates after the opening of the conference. Image: DELLA RUSSEL OCLOO
A two-day conference on mining development in West Africa opened yesterday in Accra, calling on member states to harmonize their laws and policies on mining to create a common framework for the development of the sector.
The conference is organized by the Ghana Chamber of Mines, under the auspices of the ECOWAS Chamber of Mines (EFEDCOM), on the theme "Improving collaboration for the development of mining in West Africa. ".
Delegates from Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Togo and Mali participate in the conference, which aims to maximize investment opportunities in the sub-region to strengthen its position as Africa's most attractive mining investment destination.
They will also discuss the ECOWAS Model Law on Mineral Development and Minerals, which consists of setting up institutional structures, a licensing and permit system, a fiscal framework and governance issues. in the subregion.
At the opening ceremony, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu-Bio, said that maintaining the development activities of this sector was essential to the growth of the economies of the sub-region. -region.
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Transformation agenda
He lamented that the West African sub-region has been recognized as one of the largest producers of mineral resources, Guinea providing about 8% of the world's diamond and Ghana, as well as Mali producing similar percentages in the world. gold. , the region had not seen the desired transformation of the area.
Mr. Owusu-Bio therefore called for a broader policy change that would promote community transformation and development in the region.
Regarding Ghana, he told delegates that, as part of the African Center for Mineral Development (AMDC), the country had put in place the National Supplier Development Program, a comprehensive local content policy with a legislative instrument to improve the manufacture and supply of inputs by Aboriginal businesses. .
"The goal is for our citizens to exploit the mining value chain, which has tremendous potential in terms of skills development and job creation," he said.
ECOWAS support
He also stated that Ghana supports the ECOWAS program to ensure sustainable and responsible mining practices, noting that regional initiatives would add to the progressive solutions put in place to create an environment conducive to the development of responsible mining. .
Partnerships and trust
EFEDCOM President Kwame Addo-Kuffour said in his remarks that governance has become a decisive element for growth.
"Any system of sustainable governance in the sector must necessarily be built on the basis of all key actors working together in a spirit of partnership, trust and transparency," he said.
He added that mining laws and regulations often adopted with the consultation and participation of all interested parties would probably be more effective in implementation than those put in place in short notice to correct perceived imbalances and loopholes.
Mr. Addo-Kufuor also stressed that if boosting the economy of the subregion required rapid industrialization, the mining sector should also be integrated with the non-mining economy.
"In the same vein, we welcome the renewed focus on local content and contribution to the value chains of mining companies," he said.
The President of the Chamber of Mines of Ghana, Mr. Sulemana Koney, for his part said that the mining companies were not only supposed to be responsible, but that the mining activity should lead to a socio-economic transformation. as envisaged by the African Mining Vision. .
"To achieve this, we must avoid looking at silo mining as a catalyst for development.
In other words, the sector should be deliberately linked to the economies of the countries and, by extension, to the regional economy, "he said.
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