[ 2011-04-24 ]

Economist Proposes Ban On Mining
A Senior Economist at the Institute of Economic
Affairs (IEA), Dr. Kwadwo Tutu is proposing a ban
on mining if activities of mining companies and
others in the extractive sector do not aid or
improve the country's economy.

'If you factor the environmental cost into the
activities of mining companies it is better to
close the mines. We should confront the investors
in the extractive sector because they are just
destroying the environment without any improvement
in our economy. They do not support any effort
towards sustainable development.'

Dr. Tutu was delivering a paper on Tuesday in
Accra titled, 'Towards a long-term national
development plan for sustainable development.'

The lecture was organized by the IEA, a policy
think tank as part of broad consultations to
ensure that they make inputs into the on-going
Constitutional Review process.

The Senior Economist said Ghana receives only 22
per cent of the about $3 billion worth of gold
produced in the country annually, noting 'if we do
not get about 66 per cent of gold produced to
boost the economy we have no business allowing the
mining companies and others in the extractive
sector to operate.

'If you have policies that allow the extractive
sector to cut down all your forest without taking
into account how it will benefit your economy and
affect your environment negatively then there is
no need to allow them to operate.'

He said Ghana's economy has not changed
structurally due to the lack of long-term
development strategy or plan for the country,
adding 'there is no link between the extractive
sector and the main economy.'

He said any development plan formulated should
lead to sustainable development, which should also
be nationally owned by all.

'Close to four decades this nation has seen short
and medium term strategies that in the long run
have led us to a dislocated economy. There is no
structure in the economy. We do not see where we
are going as a nation especially when we have
struck oil.'

He said the time has come for the government to
empower and strengthen the National Development
Planning Commission (NDPC) to help implement long
term development plans of the nation.

Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and
Social Welfare and Member of Parliament (MP) for
Ningo Prampram, who chaired the forum, said
government must strengthen its manpower and human
resources to be able to harness the numerous
resources of the country.'

'We are sitting on so much resource which we have
not been able to harness. We need to mobilize all
our resources to be able to implement strategies
for national development.'

Mike Hammah, Minister for Lands, Forestry and
natural Resources and MP for Winneba, said there
was the need to increase local content in the
mining sector so that the country could benefit
more.

Source - Daily Guide

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