Mining communities must not be left without social amenities – Sammy Gyamfi

Sammy Gyamfi, CEO of the Ghana Gold Board, is advocating for a new strategy to ensure mining communities gain from the extraction of natural resources found within their territories. He expressed concern over the fact that these communities, despite yielding valuable resources that fuel the sector, often struggle with essential infrastructure and services such as reliable water supply, efficient road networks, and high-quality education.

According to Mr. Gyamfi, it is simply not acceptable for mining communities to continue to generate the resources that sustain the industry while their inhabitants endure daily hardships like poverty, lack of potable water, poor road conditions, high youth unemployment rates, and weak local economies. Speaking at the National Mining Dialogue organized by Asempa 94.7 FM and its flagship show, Ekosiisen, in collaboration with Semmis DS and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources at the Kempinski Hotel, Mr. Gyamfi highlighted the urgent need for a shift in approach to turn mining activities into concrete development for the areas where they occur.

He recalled that the late John Dramani Mahama, a former President of Ghana, initiated the establishment of the Ghana Gold Board, recognizing the necessity for an innovative approach to managing one of the country's most vital natural resources. Mr. Gyamfi reaffirmed GoldBod's commitment to advancing this new approach and reshaping the narrative around the benefits of mining to the communities that host it.