Only two per cent of Ghana’s mining workforce is made up of foreigners, it has emerged.

Speaking about how the sector contributes to Ghana’s economy at the maiden edition of the Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA), which was on the theme: ‘Recognising Excellence, Celebrating Achievement in the Mining Industry,’ Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills said: “The very evident benefit to many is the creation of job opportunities, as well as taxes and royalties mining companies pay to the state.”

“These financial contributions are very substantial and for which reason the sector has continued to be the leading and prime contributor to the nation’s purse.

“Mining provides quality and high-paying jobs directly to Ghanaians, who constitute about 98% of the workforce and gives capacity to Ghanaian youth who often transfer their knowledge and skills into other sectors of the economy,” Mr Osah Mills said.

Despite the opportunities in the mining sub-sector, however, Mr Mills said: “mining comes along with its challenges such as land and its degradation, pollution of the environment including water bodies and issues of land tenure security.”

“One major challenge facing producing companies is the high incidence of illegal mining (galamsey).

“Government regards small-scale mining as a legitimate business with a great potential for poverty reduction. Accordingly, my Ministry will work with the Minerals Commission to formalise the small-scale mining sector more deeply so it can contribute more meaningfully to the economy,” he said.