The Western Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC) in collaboration with Viewtag Ghana Gold Expo, partner of Aurum Monaco, the leader of Responsible Jewelry Council have launched this years Ghana Mining Week ahead of the Ghana Gold Expo.
The Ghana Mining Week is a policy advocacy body focused mainly on Promoting Zero Mercury (Responsible Gold Production) in local mining, and providing a platform to advance against the application of the deadly chemical in mining in accordance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury and Gold trade traceability.
The maiden edition was held in March 2020 in Takoradi with the support of the Government of Ghana through the Western Regional Coordinating Council with the partnership and support of international agencies like Aurum Monaco, Forbes Monaco, UN Environments Branch, Swiss Better Gold Association, 4bird Company, View-Tag and all other stakeholders in the mining industry across the globe.
Speaking at the launch, Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister said mining has become a controversial business in the country in the past years and that issues of mining are in the wake because of the increasing demands for mineral products and diminishing nature of such minerals across the globe.
According to him, the seemingly opportunity for developing countries like Ghana which have mineral deposits comes with its accompanying repercussions which has generated various efforts by stakeholders in curbing some of the challenges in the industry and positioning the sector as less controversial to investors.
He pointed out that his administration has a vision to make the Western Region a business hub and a preferred reference point for responsible mining investment hence, the need to fight illegal mining, promote responsible mining activities and to create the space to showcase technologies that will teat and remove waste from our water bodies.
“As part of our mandate to ensure and conserve the environment and clean water bodies, my office have engaged several organisation of interest that has the technology to clean and remove waste from our waterbodies, a courtesy call to the US Ambassador on the 25th of May to discuss the possibility of collaborating with US water treatment companies like WATERLABS TECHNOLOGY that are keen to work with local organisation to achieve this vision”, he opined.
Mr Darko-Mensah emphasized that the region has had its fair share of the repercussion of illegal mining and the indiscriminate use of harmful chemicals in gold extraction that has destroyed the major river bodies in the region.
Dr. Steven Blessing Ackah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Viewtag Ghana Gold Expo, organizers of the Ghana Gold Expo event said this year’s event will position participants and sponsors on a global stage hence, create positive brand image and maximize their brand equity.
He admitted that the embracement of the Ghana Mining Week was a good move not only for us to reaffirm our dominance as the region with the large gold deposit in the country but also as a region that believes in the fight against illegal mining- galamsey.
He hinted that the Mining Week is opened to all stakeholder in the mining value chain including companies and individuals whose areas of operation bother on Large Scale and Small Scale, Mining support services, Water treatment and labs, Mining surveying, Environmental management, Geophysical and Geological contracting, Equipment Manufacturing, Legal consultancy, Banking and Financial Services, and Export and Imports of Gold.
Dr Ackah mentioned that the Ghana Gold Expo will commence on 1st July, 2021 with a Mining Policy Forum and ends on 2nd July, 2021 with a Diplomatic Mining Field Trip that will recognize Ghana as Responsible Gold Mining Hub by Better World Endowment Fund, Cannes Film Festival, France.
