The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has expressed optimism that the possibility of African unity still exists despite challenges confronting the campaign.

He said that while the campaign to bring the continent together remains viable, Ghana, which led the emancipation of the continent, would play a crucial role and continue to serve as a home for all Africans and the Black race.

Addressing a delegation from Eswatini, who paid a working visit to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as part of their activities to study and familiarise themselves with land administration in Ghana, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah assured the delegation of the cooperation of the Ministry in that regard.

On what must bind Africans together, he said: “We still believe in the day the United States of Africa will come.”

The Minister touted Ghana's apparent role in the fight against colonialism while acknowledging the new role being played in the campaign for continental unity.

Regarding the visit to the Ministry to study and familiarise themselves with the policies and administrative management of land in the country, he said the Ministry focuses primarily on three core areas: land, minerals, and forestry in the management of land in the country.

He explained the trajectory of issues being pursued at the Ministry, including new reforms that are badly required to streamline activities that would be backed by the right regulations.

Consequently, he said new Acts will be promulgated as part of the new reforms to properly position mineral resources in the mining sector, land management, and forestry.

In the mining sector, for instance, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah underscored the successes chalked up while revealing that six of the top ten mining companies in the world currently operate in Ghana.

He said that although Ghana remains the number one producer of gold in Africa, stakeholders, including the Ministry, would not be carried away by that yardstick but would continue to strive to achieve more for the country in terms of production and industry management.

A cogent reason, he said, backing government’s campaign to encourage hardworking Ghanaian miners to improve productivity and performance based on global standards.

Ultimately, he said the Government of Ghana intends to decentralise the mining industry, hence the establishment of multiple offices nationwide, as well as building momentum for local participation in the industry.

“Ghana was called by colonial masters the Gold Coast because of our gold; therefore, we must demonstrate that indeed we have gold through responsible and sustainable management of the resources,” he remarked.

Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah revealed that the growing improved performance of the small-scale mining sector alone demonstrates that Ghana is making significant progress in advancing the mining industry.

Armah-Kofi Buah said it was a distinct privilege to receive the high-powered delegation from the Kingdom of Eswatini.

They were officials from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy who visited for a benchmarking exercise and exchange of bilateral knowledge.

The delegation was led by Ms Nonhlanhla Dlamini, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Tinkhundla Administration and Development (MTAD), and Prince Ngangabani, Chairperson of the Land Management Board (LMB) and outgoing Speaker of Parliament, alongside five senior officials.

The delegation expressed keen interest in Ghana’s land administration system and had the opportunity to receive deeper insights into the various approaches being used to manage land in Ghana and the progress being made by successive governments.