Geological mapping and detailed ground investigations to determine coastal pollution, sanitation sites, areas prone to flooding and urban erosion were completed. These are considered essential to the planning and developmental purposes.

The Financing Agreement for the Mining Sector Support Programme between the Republic of Ghana and the European Commission was signed in December 2002, within the framework of the Lomé IV Convention and the 8th European Development Fund.

Under the Agreement, the European Commission has granted to the Republic of Ghana the amount of EUR 40 million to support various projects in the Mining Sector, aiming at improving its performance.

The main areas of focus are:

i. institutional strengthening to fulfil the facilitating and regulatory roles of mining sector support institutions,
ii. the construction of a modern geological infrastructure (maps, databases), including the geological mapping of virgin areas and airborne geophysics over the Volta and Keta Basins,
iii. mitigation of the negative impact of mining activities on the local communities, and
iv. feasibility studies to upgrade the western corridor mining supportive infrastructure.

The Mining Sector through the Geological Survey Department, monitors earthquakes occurrences and used the results to help sensitize the public on how to mitigate the effects of an earthquake.

The Mining Sector has adopted a policy to accommodate and support small scale mining within a legal framework. In view of this development, efforts have been made to identify suitable areas on pilot basis for illegal miners (Galamseyers) particularly those from Prestea.

Three of such areas have been identified at Japa, Adjumadium, and Oguakrom and since June 2005 one thousand (1000) illegal miners have been relocated at Japa and another 100 at Adjumadium. Other illegal miners are expected to move to Oguakrom in subsequent months. Efforts are also underway to carry out further geological work. The success of this exercise will help the Ministry replicate the resettlement of other illegal miners in suitable areas.

It is expected that this new initiative will lead to a better organization, control and monitoring of small scale mining operations as is being done in Konongo and Bolgatanga. The increased production that will be derived from these small scale miners will be sold to the PMMC for value-addition. In the year 2004, production from small scale miners totalled 46,570 ounces of gold and 778,401 carats of diamonds.

The Government through the Ministry also provided financial assistance of 4.4 billion cedis to the small scale miners in Bolgatanga and Konongo.


 

The Kimberley Process (KP) is a joint governments, industry and civil society initiative to stem the flow of conflict diamonds – rough diamonds used by rebel movements to finance wars against legitimate governments.

Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) imposes extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify shipments of rough diamonds as ‘conflict-free’.