For decades that our people have been mining gold, bauxite and diamond, the country has nothing to show for it.
Ghana is indeed, blessed with lots of mineral resources. The solid mineral sector proves this right as virtually every region, has one mineral or the other buried under its soil.
Without doubt, as much as the extractive sector, has played a significant role in the development of this country, as well as the individuals involved in mining it, activities in the sector have increasingly threatened the very existence of the people living in mining communities, especially the pollution of water bodies and the destruction of the forest reserve by operators of illegal mining, known as galamsey.
With each passing year, the impact of galasmey keeps getting worse and what is worrisome, is the caliber of people involved in it.
It is against this background that, as a newspaper, we want to sound a word of caution to the authorities, as plans are far advanced for the mining of Iron Ore in the Oti Region, which is set to begin next year.
The Oti Regional Minister, Joshua G. Makuba, has assured that mining of iron ore in the Region will commence middle of next year.
according to the minister who was interacting with Journalists on Sunday, “I want to advise people in Accra to start looking for land in the Oti Region because what is going to take Ghana from our current state to a very industrialised nation has been found in the Oti Region and that is the iron ore”.
” . There are about six (6) companies at the Oti Region doing the mineral resource estimation. The last time we had an engagement in Oti Region, GIADEC, Geological Survey Authority and investors were there and told us it will take about six to eight months to do the mineral resource estimation.”
He estimated that, “by somewhere January or February, at least they should come out with that results and then when that is done, the rest will be those who are coming in to mine” and further disclosed that “latest in the middle of 2023, real mining should start in the area”.
There might be an excuse that galamsey took us by surprise, nonetheless the efforts so far made by the government to stop the menace.
The iron ore in Oti region, should present the country with a fresh start, as to how to effectively monitor and manage our resources.
This newspaper, therefore, urges critical stakeholders to attune their minds to the welfare and wellbeing of Ghanaians, especially citizens of Oti region by taking proactive steps to safeguard what is on the ground, we cannot afford to get it wrong again.
