The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Kwaku Asomah-cheremeh, has launched the Community Mining Scheme (CMS) for the Birim North District and Asante Akyem South Municipal Assemblies respectively.
Speaking at the joint launch of the CMS for the two communities today, November 12, 2020, at the forecourt of the New Abirem fire service, the Minister stated that “mining, especially of gold, plays a significant role in the economy of Ghana and small scale mining is a major contributor to this”.
“In 2019, the small-scale mining sub-sector contributed 36% of the total gold produced in Ghana,” he added.
He noted that Community Mining Scheme, is a novel mining model being introduced by the current government to address some of the underlying causes of illegal mining (popularly known as galamsey), within the mining communities.
The Scheme, according to the Minister, is an adaptation of small-scale mining as provided for under sections 81-99 of the Minerals and Mining Act, 2006 (Act 703).
He indicated that the Scheme will create a total of 7,500 jobs in the Birim North and Asante Akyem South Municipalities.
In attendance at the launch were traditional leaders, the Member of Parliament for Asante Akyem South Constituency, Kwaku Asante-Boateng; MP for Abirem Constituency, John Osei Frimpong; DCE for Birim North District Assembly, Remond Damptey, and Alexander Frimpong, MCE for Asante Akyem South Municipal Assembly; officials of the Minerals Commission as well as the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
