The Minerals Development Fund (MDF) is intensifying its drive to ensure mining communities receive a fair share of Ghana’s mineral wealth, rolling out a range of transformative development initiatives across the country.
Speaking at a recent stakeholder engagement, MDF Administrator Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei unveiled a multifaceted plan aimed at bridging the development gap in areas affected by mining.
These efforts include expanding access to clean water through a community-wide supply system, launching an annual scholarship scheme that benefits 300 students, and developing large-scale fish farming projects—targeting 100,000 fishponds complete with processing plants.
Further developments include the construction of palm processing mills, the formation of MDF-backed agricultural cooperatives, and the establishment of industrial training hubs. These hubs will not only provide skill-based education but also equip young artisans and entrepreneurs with startup kits to launch their own ventures.
Dr. Bisiw-Kotei stressed the urgent need for equity in mining communities. “The communities that bear the burden of mining should be among our most prosperous—not our most deprived,” she said. She noted that despite being situated atop some of Africa’s richest mineral deposits, many communities still lack basic necessities.
“I have seen children who must walk miles for clean water. Patients cannot reach health facilities due to impassable roads. And bright young minds are denied quality education despite living on top of some of the richest mineral deposits in Africa,” she stated.
“I have listened to the heartbreaking stories of parents who watch helplessly as opportunities pass their children by in an industry operating in their own backyard,” she added. The disparity is not just unfortunate; it is unjust. The very fabric of these communities is unraveling before our eyes.
Looking ahead, Dr. Bisiw-Kotei emphasized that Ghana’s mineral wealth could become the cornerstone of the nation’s industrial transformation if well-managed. To support this vision, the MDF plans to work closely with stakeholders to launch a new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) task force and enforce the Polluter-Pays Principle (PPP). These actions aim to improve transparency in profit declarations and hold polluters accountable for environmental damage.
In remarks delivered on behalf of the Vice-President, Dr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Policy Advisor at the Office of the Vice-President, echoed the need for a robust framework that fosters trust, dialogue, and inclusive decision-making.
Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang also lent her voice to the call for fairness in resource governance. “We must also be intentional about equity. This requires a critical examination of how mineral revenues are allocated and spent,” she said.
Source: modernghana.com
