The Responsible Cooperative Mining and Skills Development Programme (rCOMSDEP) has intensified its regional sensitization drive on government’s cooperative mining initiative, engaging traditional leaders and communities in both the Western and Ashanti Regions.
At a stakeholder meeting in Bompata in the Ashanti Region, rCOMSDEP Coordinator, Engineer Frank Pedro Asare, led another sensitization session with community leaders.
He underscored health, safety, and environmental standards as core pillars of cooperative mining.
“Responsible mining means protecting our water bodies, reclaiming the land, and ensuring that miners go home safe every day,” Engineer Asare reiterated.
He emphasised that cooperative mining was designed to correct the mistakes of illegal operations.
“We cannot continue mining the way galamsey has been done in the past. Cooperative mining gives us a structured, legal, and safer way to mine without destroying the environment,” he explained.
Community leaders in Bompata showed rCOMSDEP two potential sites for cooperative mining. While welcoming the initiative, they called for clarity on reclamation processes and sustained education to guide miners and residents.
In a related engagement in the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Council in Wassa Akropong, Central Region, rCOMSDEP’s Deputy Coordinator in charge of Operations, Mr. George Dadzie outlined the programme’s potential to curb illegal mining while ensuring sustainable community development.
He explained that cooperative mining was designed to empower communities through shared ownership and direct benefits.
“Cooperative mining is to ensure that the communities own the mines and benefit from the mining. The revenue will be shared to secure long-term benefits, with allocations for a community development fund, land reclamation fund and entrepreneurship training,” Mr. Dadzie said.
He stressed that the framework would eliminate illegal practices, promote safer mining, and safeguard the environment.
