The Ghana Chamber of Mines has called for mining sector reforms that protect investment while ensuring that host communities benefit meaningfully from the country’s mineral wealth.
The Chamber’s Chief Operating Officer, Ahmed Dasana Nantogmah, said Ghana’s mining fiscal framework must strike a balance between generating fair public revenues, improving community livelihoods and sustaining the investment required to secure the industry’s future.
He made the remarks at a civil society dialogue organised in partnership with the Natural Resource Governance Institute (NRGI) on Tuesday ( November 3) under the theme, “Ghana’s Mining Fiscal and Revenue Governance Architecture: Is Ghana Maximising Value from Its Mineral Wealth?”
Mr Nantogmah described investors, communities and government as three interdependent pillars of the mining sector, arguing that reforms must take account of the interests of all three.
“Investors, communities and government form the mining tripod. Each must derive value through fair returns, improved livelihoods and sustainable public revenues. Our goal should be to maximise and fairly share that value; squeezing one leg weakens the whole,” he said.
He stressed that efforts to increase government revenue must not undermine the conditions needed for mineral exploration, mine development, continued production and employment.
According to him, a stable, transparent and predictable fiscal and regulatory framework would enable Ghana to secure fair returns from its mineral resources while encouraging reinvestment and protecting future revenue streams.
Mr Nantogmah also called for environmental governance, transparent regulation, responsible gold trading and investment competitiveness to advance together, describing them as priorities that reinforce one another.
He urged stakeholders to assess the entire value chain, from mineral development and revenue collection to the allocation and use of mining revenues.
He said the ultimate measure of success should be whether the country’s mineral wealth translates into improved livelihoods, stronger institutions and sustainable development, particularly in mining communities.
On collaboration, Mr Nantogmah said civil society organisations could complement the mining industry’s operational experience through research, scrutiny and community perspectives.
He said constructive engagement among industry, civil society and government could help identify weaknesses in the existing framework and develop practical policy responses.
He reaffirmed the Chamber’s commitment to evidence-based dialogue and encouraged stakeholders to examine existing assumptions and identify areas for cooperation.
The dialogue provided a platform for stakeholders to assess Ghana’s mining fiscal and revenue governance framework and discuss ways to maximise value from the country’s mineral resources while ensuring that the benefits are fairly shared.
