Sulemanu Koney (right) speaking at the forum
Sulemanu Koney, Chief Executive of Ghana Chamber of Mines, has expressed worry about the inefficient utilization of mineral revenue ploughed back into mining communities in the country.
According to him, the poor state of mining communities reflects negatively on the image of the mining industry, which contributes significantly to national development.
Mr. Koney, who was speaking to the media at a recent forum organized by Journalist for Business Advocacy (JBA) in partnership with the Chamber, revealed that a total of GH¢854,407,800 was ploughed back into the seven mining districts between 2011 and 2012.
“Is there manifestation of commensurate development?” he quizzed.
Mr. Koney said non-disbursement of royalties to district assemblies impedes meaningful development in mining communities.
He therefore urged government to ensure that mineral revenues ploughed back into mining districts are used effectively to develop the communities.
Touching on the impact of the mining sector on local value chain, Mr. Koney said the Chamber is collaborating with the Minerals Commission and IFC to support Ghanaian companies.
Some of the items on the procurement list, he mentioned, included general lubricants, quicklime and hydrated lime, emulsion explosives and heavy-duty electric cables.
The rest were HDPE & PVC Pipes, cement and cement products and tyre-retreading, he indicated.
“This programme is intended to economize on forex as well as serve as a catalyst for the local production of mining sector inputs that could be produced competitively in country.”
By Cephas Larbi