Illegal Mining: An Alternative Employment Programme Launched In Ghana

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has launched the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Program, a program intended to assist with lightening the challenges of those affected by Government’s endeavors to clean the mining industry.

The launch which came off on Monday, 25 th October 2021, at the theater of the George Grant University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, saw President Akufo-Addo recognizing that the existences of many people, including women and children, rely upon illegal mining.

Notwithstanding, following Government’s drive to manage illicit mining activities in Red Zones, a lot more unlawful excavators have lost their illegal sources of livelihood.

As per President Akufo-Addo, a complete way to deal with handling this problem, which exhibits additionally their obligation to social fortitude and congruity, requires that, while working with the security organizations for the protection and appropriate use of the country’s natural resources, his administration fashion elective method for job for those affected by the crackdown.

In this manner, the President demonstrated that his administration has chosen to expand sources of livelihood, even in mining communities, to diminish the effect of the exhaustion of the resources on the existences of people in mining communities.

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At the launch, President Akufo-Addo said, the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Program (NAELP), will relieve the unavoidable challenges, which government’s endeavors to clean the limited scale mining sector has made, especially in the five (5) districts that Operation Halt completed its activities.

He said:

“The National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) is intended to provide good economic livelihood options to illegal mining and its associated activities, and to enable those adversely impacted the opportunity to work and support themselves and their families. The Programme will also focus on reversing the negative impact of illegal mining on the environment through the National Land Reclamation and Reafforestation component of the Programme”

He proceeded by saying, considering that the majority of Ghana’s corrupted terrains are because of illicit mining activities, it is extremely fitting that any program focusing on illegal mining ought to include a recovery segment.

This part of the Program will reestablish corrupted grounds into financially practical terrains, setting out job opportunities for the young, landowners and communities on the loose.

The Government of Ghana is committed to promote responsible, reasonable and feasible small-scale mining.

The President says the Government of Ghana won’t condone any criminal operations in the mining sector, as the fortified observing and implementation system are set up, under the auspices of the enhanced Mine Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission and the Regional Security Councils.