Mining communities must benefit from sustainable development and not be left with poverty and environmental degradation when mines close, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, has said.
She said responsible mining should extend beyond mineral extraction to include land reclamation, environmental protection and measures to improve livelihoods in affected communities.
The Minister made the remarks during a visit to Zijin Golden Ridge Limited’s Akyem Gold Mine at Abirem, facilitated by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), to assess the company’s environmental management practices, reclamation efforts and measures to minimise mining-related impacts.
“What we should not be seeing is poverty and degradation at the end of the life cycle of any mine. That should be a thing of the past,” she said.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the Government expected mining companies to adopt practices that reduced their environmental footprint while ensuring that host communities derived lasting benefits from their natural resources.
She said successful environmental management models would be encouraged for adoption across the country.
The Minister cited the mine’s 10-year reforestation project as an example of practical land restoration, stressing that environmental commitments must produce visible results.
She welcomed efforts by the company to introduce electric vehicles into its operations and ongoing discussions on establishing a battery recycling facility.
Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said the growing use of electric vehicles required early planning for the safe disposal and recycling of batteries at the end of their useful life.
“We don’t wait till we get to the crisis point before we start trying to resolve the issue,” she said.
On illegal mining and encroachment on the company’s concession, the Minister said she would engage the Chief Executive Officer of the EPA and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to strengthen enforcement and safeguard legally acquired concessions.
She said mining companies could be held responsible for illegal activities on their concession areas, making prompt intervention necessary when encroachment was reported.
Mr Kwame Obeng Dapaah, Environmental Manager of Zijin Golden Ridge Limited, said the company had implemented measures to manage impacts on forests and water bodies, control pollution and minimise dust and noise.
He said the company had been granted 101 hectares within a forest reserve for mining and was required to undertake reforestation to compensate for vegetation loss.
Mr Dapaah said the company was required to restore 303 hectares but had committed to rehabilitating 370 hectares, exceeding the target by 67 hectares.
He said the 10-year reforestation project was scheduled to be handed over to the Forestry Commission in 2027.
Mr Dapaah said the company practised concurrent reclamation by restoring areas no longer required for mining through re-sloping, topsoil replacement and tree planting.
He identified illegal mining within and around the concession as a major challenge, saying the activities were affecting streams monitored by the company and undermining efforts to protect water quality.
Mr Dapaah appealed for continued support from the Government and local security agencies to address the problem.