The Minerals Development Fund under the Mining Communities Development Scheme on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, inaugurated a seven-member Mpohor Local Management Committee (LMC) to manage the Minerals Development Fund (MDF).
The MDF was set up to provide development projects for mining communities that have been negatively impacted by mining activities.
The Mpohor Local Management Committee (LMC) has been advised to adopt a bottom-up approach of selecting prospective projects for their communities.
They have also been advised to ensure transparency when engaging their communities.
The Minerals Development Fund Act (Act 912) is to provide financial resources for the direct benefit of mining communities, holders of interest in land within mining communities, traditional and local government authorities within mining communities, and institutions responsible for the development of mining in Ghana
The committee has been urged to take into consideration the plight of communities and prioritize their requests by applying funds efficiently.
Their mandate includes managing the government’s Mining Community Development Schemes under the Minerals Development Fund.
Inaugurating the committee in Mpohor, Board Chairman of the Minerals Development Fund, Kwaku Sakyi Addo, emphasized ways to invest the funds and draw the interests for developmental projects.
He gave examples like setting up Mineral Water companies, sewing uniforms for mining companies within their domain, direct mining support services to mining companies. Kwaku Sakyi Addo advised the Local Management Committee to be innovative by embarking on income generating projects to sustain the inflow of funds for more projects in mining communities.
He indicated, “the funds come from, or originate from, mining companies who pay these royalties to the government. A portion of it guided by law is to return to mining communities through the Minerals Development Fund. So it has to be utilized, transparently and accounted for diligently.”
“The second point is that the purpose to which the funds are used, was possible and that was the point I was trying to make this morning; where possible is that if they are projects that the funds can be applied to that, for example, if a community or the LMC would enter into a commercial arrangement, contract with a mining company in the community for the supply of some items, commodity”.
He added, ” it could be uniformed that a community in tailors can make and supply to a mining company or they produce water, bottled water for a mining company or they grow vegetables and supply to a mining company? Then the revenue from that enterprise can then provide the amenities that they need. So that was an idea that I proposed, but of course, they know best, and I’m sure that they will consider that in the broad scheme of things and do what best works for them. But it’s an idea that I believe is worth their concentration”.
He also urged members of the committee to be guided by the laws, especially on the tenure of office and expenditure. He also said there would be training and orientation for members to build their capacity on their operations
The Local Management Company consists of representatives from the traditional council, youth, technocrats, interest groups, and a representative from Golden Star resources.
The Chairman of the Committee, Matthew Ekow Assan, assured the Chiefs and people of Mpohor Wassa, of their willingness to work to within the law and also be selfless in making sure that they implement priorty projects for their communities.
The Member of Parliament for Mpohor, John Kobina Abbam Aboah Sanie, notet that the community will leverage on the LMC to bring development to the 10-year-old district.
As part of its mandate, the Minerals Development Fund provides financial resources for the direct benefit of mining communities, holders of interest in land within mining communities, traditional and local government authorities within mining communities and institutions responsible for the development of mining in Ghana.
The board of the fund as part of its transparency and accountability functions inaugurated the Mpohor Local Management Committee in the Western Region.
Below is the list of members of the Mpohor Local Management Committee:
1. CHAIRMAN
OPINION LEADER
MR. MATTHEW EKOW ASSAN
MEMBERS:
2. DISTRICT CHIEF EXECUTIVE of MPOHOR
HON. IGNATIUS ASAAH MENSAH EXECUTIVE
3. MINERALS
COMMISSION REP,
MR. BRIGHT ARKO
4. TRADITIONAL
COUNCIL REP,
NANA TONYIAH ANIMAH
5. YOUTH
REPRESENTATIVE, MR. FRANK NKRUMAH
6. WOMEN’S REP
REPRESENTATIVE, MAD. LINDA AMOAH
7. GOLDEN STAR
WASSA REP. ,MR. ZACHARIAH ISSAH
Source: Citinewsroom.com
