The Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) on Thursday, January 25, 2024, paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, initiating discussions for a sustained partnership.
The primary objective is to foster collaboration on green minerals and local content regulations, with plans underway for regular quarterly meetings.
Mr. Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister responsible for Lands and Forestry, welcomed the delegation on behalf of the Sector Minister.
He assured the NRGI team of the Ministry’s unwavering support and commitment to promoting sustainable development and ensuring that the country’s natural resources are managed in a way that benefits all Ghanaians.
Expressing gratitude for the NRGI Team’s confidence in the Ministry, the Deputy Minister acknowledged their efforts in seeking to partner with the Ministry to drive positive change and ensure that the extraction and use of transition minerals benefit societies and the environment sustainably and equitably..
Madam Nafi Chinery, the Africa Director for the Natural Resource Governance Institute, highlighted significant transparency achievements over the past decade, emphasizing the sector’s ongoing shift from closed to open practices.
“In light of our achievements and the collaborative efforts with our partners,” she stated, “we will focus on complementary work, aligning with global reporting norms on payments, contracts and beneficial ownership information.”
Madam Chinery further emphasized the NRGI’s commitment to working with partners to extend their efforts to involve countries, concentrating on critical areas such as commodity trading, State Owned Enterprises (SOE) expenditures, and subcontracting.
She added, “We will collaborate with partners to advocate for stronger global norms and country-level practices, leveraging on initiatives like EITI and the Open Government Partnership.”
Mr. Martin Ayisi, the CEO of the Minerals Commission, on his part, said that the Minerals Commission, the Ministry and Government by extension will always be ready to engage the NRGI and all other CSOs in the mining sector on policies and strategies for Green Minerals.
NRGI collaborates with various stakeholders, including government ministries and agencies, the national oil company GNPC, statutory bodies, parliamentarians, civil society actors, academics, and journalists.
Their collective aim is to enhance capacity to address challenges related to Ghana’s extractive resources in the context of the energy
Also present at the meeting were Mr. Denis Gyeyi (Africa Senior Program Officer), Mr. Silas Olang (Africa Energy Transition Advisor), Madam Aida Diop(Senegal Senior Program Officer), Mr. Paul Bagabo(NRGI), Mr. Benjamin Aryee, the Advisor to the Minister on Mining, Mr. Peter Awuah, the Technical Director for Mines at the Ministry and other officials from the Ministry.
