Dr. Steven Manteaw is the Technical Advisor for UK Ghana Gold Program
Technical Advisor for the UK Ghana Gold Program, Dr. Steve Manteaw, has expressed concern over the insufficient funding and lack of logistics for regulatory bodies in the mining industry.
In an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb following a roundtable discussion in Accra on Thursday, November 28, 2024, Dr. Manteaw voiced his concern about how institutions in the sector are created with specific mandates but are not provided with the necessary resources to effectively carry out their tasks.
He explained that such situations hinder the ability of these regulatory bodies to fully carry out their responsibilities, particularly in the mining sector, where the country is struggling with illegal mining.
“What you find across the various lengths of the mining industry value chain is the situation of institutions set up to carry a specific mandate in the sector not being given the necessary budgetary resources, equipment and tools to deliver on their mandate.
“We heard the case of the Water Resources Commission, a regulator for water use in this country. We were told that they had to take water samples they collect to the Water Research Institute of the CSIR to undertake lab analysis because they do not have a well-equipped lab of their own, and this is not good enough,” he said.
Dr. Manteaw also stated that providing adequate resources to these institutions could enable the country to maximise its benefits from the mineral extraction sector.
He added that it would give these bodies a boost in fighting and combating illegal activities, urging the government to prioritise funding for these sectors.
“We need to take the funding of our key regulatory institutions very seriously if this country is to optimise its benefits from mineral extraction. It is not a choice; they are mandated by law to help prevent illegalities in the mining sector. The problem has been the lack of logistics, budget, and tools to carry out their respective functions. We urge the government to pay attention to it,” he concluded.
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