Minister Visits Bibiani Mines

Mr. Adjei Darko, the Minister of Mines, on Monday paid a one-day working visit to the Bibian mines, a five star surface mining company owned by Ashanti Goldfields, at Bibiani in the Western Region.

The visit, which is his first tour since he assumed office as minister was to acquaint himself with the operations of the company and the problems it encounters with the local communities.

The Minister was accompanied by his Chief Director, Mrs. Ernerstina Tekpetey. They were taken through a report on the achievement of the company and also the development projects undertaken by the company to facilitate the development of Bibiani and towns around it.

The Minister went round to see the main activities which include the tailing dams, oil and water separator, the extracting plant, reclamation site, woodlot nursery site and the mining session where the rock blasting is done.

Earlier in a short address, Mr. Adjei Darko, said plans had been initiated that would check District Assemblies from squandering money given to them by the state. The Minister was making reference to the issue of royalties, which he said some malfeasance in its utilisation had been noticed.

He said his Ministry would consult that of the Finance Ministry to release 55% out of the 3% royalty paid by the company to the District Assembly for development, with the remainder being shared among the stool and the traditional council.

The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development would also task the District Assembly to draw budgets for any specific amount that is released by the Stool Lands Administrator.

All transactions, the Minister said would be done transparently for the citizens to be aware and keep the leaders on their toes.

Mr. Adjei Darko called on the company to keep up with their reclamation project so that after the life span of the mine, the land would not be left depleted but will be fertile enough to support other economic activities.

He said the Ministry would work hand in hand with other stakeholders like the Chamber of Mines and Department of Mines on issues concerning the future of the industry

and promised an attractive mining. He said, "the companies should not aim solely at venturing in gold extraction, but must practice diversification to exploit the other minerals."

In connection with that, he announced that the European Union (EU) is committed to help Ghana practice diversification and 40 million Euros have been made available to Ghana under the 9th EDF of the Union earmarked for diversification.

In the disbursement of the amount, he said, part will go to the Ministry, Mines Department, Minerals Commission and the Geological Survey Department.

Mr. Darko further called on the mining companies to strengthen their public relations, for "a lot of things go on clandestinely, painting an unhealthy picture of the mining companies."

Later, when the Minister met a cross-section of the workers, he told them to put in more effort in their services to support the management and the government.

He asked them to abstain from the immoral instincts that cause people to be less active and inefficient when dealing with government work and state property. He appealed to them to help solve the plight of the nation so that they can also enjoy better lives with the progress that would ensue.

Though the Minister lauded the company for the wonderful work done to ensure that the environment is not degraded, he also pleaded with the management to extend their projects to cover the future welfare of the workers and equip them with some skills to be independent enough to run their own businesses when the mine is depleted.

In an interview with The Accra Mail, Mrs. Joyce Wereko-Brobby, Chief Executive of Ghana Chamber of Mines expressed satisfaction about the potential in the mining industry and reiterated the call by the Minister to the mining companies to break more ground in search of minerals.

She said the Chamber would work towards developing the right and necessary investment atmosphere to enable them to undertake diversification proprammes.

Mr. Daniel Owiredu, Managing Director of Ashanti Goldfields (Bibiani) Limited, in his presentation called on the government to ensure a healthy environment for the company to combat decline in the country's mineral exports. He said the company has put in place measures to ensure that the mine's activities do not disturb or harm towns around it and it is also committed to compensate any citizen in case of mishap caused.