Isaac Tandoh
The Minerals Commission is to conduct field assessments of mining concessions in the North East Region following a petition by traditional leaders seeking the formalisation of mining activities in the area.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Commission, Isaac Andrews Tandoh, said a technical team would be deployed to assess the concessions and determine the legal status of existing mineral titles.
The team will also inspect the concessions and work on a structured operational framework for a proposed partnership involving the Traditional Council, government and potential investors.
The move follows concerns from the traditional leadership that some prospecting licence holders have held concessions for more than 16 years without commencing mining operations.
The traditional leaders argued that making the concessions available to active investors could help create jobs, reduce youth migration and curb illegal mining and its associated environmental impacts.
Mr Tandoh said the Commission had committed to taking immediate action on the petition as part of efforts to establish the status of the concessions and determine the appropriate way forward.
The assessment is expected to provide the technical and legal basis for discussions on formalising mining activities in the region.
