Overhaul mining laws – WACAM

Mr Daniel Owusu Koranteng, Executive Director of the Wassa Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM), has called for the enactment of a new minerals and mining law that would protect the interest of Ghanaians.

He said such a law should include how the country would handle its mining concessions since the natural resources were non renewable.

He said this in an interview with the GNA on Wednesday.

Mr Koranteng said this is in line with global rules of the “Free Prior and Informed Consent Act Principle (FPIC)” of the International Labour Organization  and the United Nations Organization.

He said the Act gave them freedom and adequate information about the negative and positive effects of mining.

He said, the new law should clearly define forbidden zones and help protect forest reserves.

He said there should also be clear environmental policy prescribing what should be done to companies spilling hazardous chemicals into water bodies.

Mr Koranteng said as a country we should enshrine in the new act an additional tax such that if the price of a commodity goes beyond a certain threshold companies would be enforced to pay more tax to the government.

Mr Koranteng said both the PNDC law 153 and the Mining Act 703 of 2006 were inadequate and only aimed at inducing mining companies to operate in the country.

He said the country does not have strong safe guards to protect the rights of the people and the environment and this has caused some problems in the society.

Mr Koranteng accused the government of signing agreements outside the minerals and mining act with companies like Newmont, Anglogold which provided further concessions and incentives to mining companies.

He said with the high gold prices the companies are rushing in to take out as much as they want but the environment degradation resulting from the minerals exploration would cancel out all the economic benefits.

Source: GNA