President John Dramani Mahama has commended Newmont for reclaiming nearly 800 acres of mined-out land in Ghana and planting crops on the restored areas.
Speaking at the official opening of the Mining in Motion conference in Accra on Monday( October 19), he praised the mining company’s reclamation efforts as part of measures to address environmental destruction caused by illegal mining.
“I want to commend Newmont for the excellent work that it is doing in the area of reclamation. Newmont has reclaimed almost 800 acres of mined-out lands and planted it with useful crops,” he said.
President Mahama said illegal mining had destroyed approximately 12,000 acres of land across the country, highlighting the scale of the environmental damage requiring rehabilitation.
He also commended the Ghana Gold Board for awarding the Ghana Armed Forces a contract to reclaim 253 acres of land destroyed in the Tano Nimiri Forest, adding that work was ongoing.
The President said the government was pursuing further reclamation efforts as part of its response to illegal mining and the restoration of degraded lands.
He urged stakeholders at the conference to establish partnerships with clear responsibilities, credible financing and measurable milestones to ensure that commitments translated into tangible results.
