The government of Ghana has allocated separate mining sites to three communities in the Amansie West District, Ashanti Region.

The beneficiary communities are Banko, Yawkrom-Asamang, and Mosease-Abransie.

These mining concessions are expected to create a total of 9,500 direct and indirect jobs, contributing to the over one million jobs already created in the small-scale mining industry for Ghanaians.

The government's Community Mining Scheme (CMS) has now reached 21 communities, further expanding economic opportunities in the mining sector.

Last Wednesday, a commissioning ceremony was held in each town, led by George Mireku Duker, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources in charge of mining, to officially hand over the mining sites.

The government's primary objective is to promote responsible mining practices that do not harm the environment or the water bodies that serve as a vital source of drinking water for the local communities. To support sustainable and responsible mining, the government is providing districts involved in community mining with equipment and technical assistance.

During the ceremony, Mr. Mireku Duker also expressed concern about illegal mining activities along the Black Volta and assured that measures were being taken to address the issue and protect the river.

Present at the event were the District Chief Executive, Nii Larteh Ollenu, the Member of Parliament for Manso Nkwanta, George Obeng Takyi, chiefs, natives of the various communities, and members of the Ghana National Association of Small Scale Mining (GNASSM).

The District Chief Executive, Mr. Ollenu, mentioned that in anticipation of the scheme, the assembly had already facilitated the formation and registration of 92 mining groups in the various communities, consisting of a total of 1,104 people. These groups had the opportunity to participate in training for Sustainable Small-Scale Mining at the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa, Western Region.

Mr. Obeng Takyi, the Member of Parliament, pledged to play an effective role in ensuring strict adherence to mining protocols, as this would encourage the government to open more concessions and create more job opportunities for the people.

The local chiefs expressed their appreciation to the government for creating employment opportunities for their communities. However, they highlighted the urgent need to address the poor road network, which is adversely affecting economic activities in the area.