The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, has launched a program dubbed ‘Entrepreneurship Jobs for all programme’ to combat illegal mining in Ghana.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, Mr. Jinapor stated that launch marks yet another milestone in the fight against illegal mining, and the commitment of the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to unleash prosperity for the people of Ghana through, among others, the provision of decent jobs for the teeming youth of our country.
He stated that since assuming office in 2017, the Government of President Akufo-Addo has been implementing several measures to deal with the menace of illegal mining.
“In the last few years, we have had to scale up our efforts, and take far-reaching measures, due to the impact of these illegalities on our water bodies, Forest Reserves, lands, farms, and the environment,” he stated.
Present at the program were the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem; the Canadian High Commissioner to Ghana; the Coordinator of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme; the Executive Director of the Dunin Deshpande Queens Innovation Centre of the Queens University; the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Leadogo Incorporated Canada; and the Chief of Party of Entrepreneurship Jobs for All.
The program was held at the Accra International Conference Centre, Accra, on Tuesday 28th November, 2023.
Mr. Jinapor stated that some of these measures came out of the National Consultative Dialogue on Small Scale Mining, held at this same Conference Centre on 14th and 15th of April, 2021.
“These include the declaration of water bodies as Red Zones, the ban on reconnaissance, prospecting and/or exploration in Forest Reserves, the procurement of speed boats to patrol our rivers, and the launch of Operation Halt II,” he stated.
He stated that to promote responsible small scale mining, the Lands Ministry revamped Community Mining Scheme, and developed an Operational Manual, which sets the minimum standards that each small scale and community mining scheme should meet.
“We, also introduced a mercury-free gold processing equipment, known as the Gold Katcha, to help small scale miners efficiently extract gold without using mercury, in accordance with our obligation under the Minamata Convention,” he stated.
Mr. Jinapor stated that while implementing these measures to protect our environment, the Ministry recognised the need to provide alternative sources of livelihoods for the millions of people, including women and children, whose lives, sadly, depend, directly or indirectly, on these mining activities.
“It is to fill this vacuum in our enforcement measures that the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) was launched by President Akufo-Addo, in October 2021, to provide economic livelihood options to illegal mining and associated activities, and promote socio-economic development in mining communities,” he stated.
Mr. Jinapor explained that the Programme was hinged on six main pillars, including reclamation, entrepreneurship, community mining, and mine support services, to be rolled out in phases. The reclamation component of the Programme has, already, begun in Ashanti, Eastern and Western North Regions, and a governance and business development structure is being developed to ensure its sustainability.
“Through this programme, a number of young men and women in mining communities, who, hitherto, depended on illegal mining and its associated activities, have been engaged in both direct and indirect employment,” he stated.
Yesterday’s launch was the roll out of the second module of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme, that is, Apprenticeship, Skills Training and Entrepreneurship, with the launch of the Entrepreneurship Jobs for All Programme, christened “E-Jobs4All.”
“This transformative initiative has been made possible through the collaborative efforts of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), led by its Coordinator, Dr. Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, the Queens University, Leadogo Incorporated Canada, and the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Development Initiative (CEDI Ghana),” he stated.
Mr. Jinapor emphasized that the ‘E-Jobs4All’ is not just a slogan.
“It is a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change, and a commendable approach to addressing one of our nation’s most pressing challenges—unemployment. It is an initiative to empower our youth, foster innovation, and unleash the potential that lies within our mining communities. This partnership is further testament to Government’s unwavering commitment to providing alternative employment opportunities, particularly, for our youth in mining regions.
“Through this Programme, we do not only seek to impart knowledge, but cultivate a mindset of innovation and entrepreneurship in our people. It is designed to equip some ten thousand (10,000) beneficiaries with tools, skills, and insights necessary to carve, shape, and transform ideas into profitable ventures. We recognise that true empowerment rests, not only in creating employment but instilling the ethos of self-reliance and enterprise. That is why the Programme has been designed to build entrepreneurs who can navigate the complexities of business, and become job creators,” he stated.
Mr. Jinapor stated that mining continues to be the bulwark of our national economy, contributing some nine percent (9%) to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Recent data from the Central Bank, the Bank of Ghana, shows that, as at August, this year, gold, alone, had contributed some Four point Six Seven Billion US Dollars (US$4.67 billion) in exports, representing forty-three point four percent (43.4%) of our total exports.
“Despite this contribution to the national economy, the historical underdevelopment of mining communities remains a challenge. Through the Minerals Development Fund, and the other alternative livelihood programmes being implemented by the Minerals Commission, Government continues to support the development of these communities with revenue accruing from mining.
“We are, also, engaging with mining companies to ensure that they contribute, meaningfully, to the development of their host communities. That is why, under the mining lease granted for the exploitation of some of our lithium resources, we have, in addition to the increases in royalties’ rate and State participation, negotiated for the payment of a one percent (1%) of the Company’s revenue into a Community Development Fund, to be utilised for the development of communities to be affected by the mining operations.
“We do all these, recognising that the mineral resources of our country are the property of the people of Ghana, for whose benefit they must be utilised. Initiatives such as the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme, and the ‘E-Jobs4All’ we launch today, are of utmost importance, to ensure that mining communities benefit directly from mining activities.
I commend all those who have worked so hard to realise this vision, the Coordinator and Staff of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme, and their partners, CEDI Ghana, the Dunin Deshpande Queens Innovation Centre of the Queens University, Cananda, the Leadogo Incorporated Canada, as well as the Canadian High Commission,” he said.
Mr. Jinapor stated that Government’s commitment remains to sanitise the small scale mining industry, promote responsible, sustainable, viable and environmentally-sound mining practices, and make Ghana the mining hub of Africa, where all mining and mining related activities will be centred, and doing so in a manner that ensures optimal benefit for the Ghanaian people, particularly, those impacted by mining. Today, we lay the foundation to, proactively, shape the future of our people; a future where the shackles of dependency are replaced with the liberating spirit of entrepreneurship, a future of hope, and a future of prosperity and self-sufficiency.
“Let us embark on this journey with unwavering determination, as we carve a path for the transformation of mining communities, and for a more equitable and prosperous Ghana,” he stated as he launched the “Entrepreneurship Jobs for All” of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme.
